‘The Next Messi’ retires: Bojan Krkic officially calls it quits

Bojan Krkic, the man labeled 'The Next Messi,' officially announced his retirement from football on the 23^rd of March 2023 at Camp Nou in Barcelona.

The Spanish forward/winger had a 17-year footballing career, starting at Barcelona with Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, and Thierry Henry, then finishing with Vissel Kobe in Japan.

Let's look through his career, from becoming the next Lionel Messi to playing in the MLS and Japan!

Bojan was the most famous player in the 'La Masia' Barcelona Academy, scoring 850 youth goals for the club and being seen as the next Lionel Messi.

His tricky feet, quick speed, and eye for goal led to high praise from Barcelona legend Pep Guardiola, who said, "There are only a few players who have a magical touch, and Bojan is one of them." According to 90min.com.

Bojan became the youngest player to play for Barcelona in September 2007, aged 17 and 19 days old, breaking Lionel Messi's record.

In a team possessing the world's best players, 17-year-old Bojan made a significant impact, scoring 12 goals and laying off six assists in 48 appearances for the club.

The young Spanish forward failed to build on his debut season, staying on the fringes of the squad and being kept out by the dynamic duo of David Villa and Pedro.

After four years with Barcelona, Bojan decided to take his talents elsewhere, hoping to prove he could play on Europe's biggest stage.

Bojan endured tough spells at some of Europe's biggest clubs, including Roma, AC Milan, and Ajax, before joining Premier League side Stoke City in 2014.

The Spanish attacker made an instant impact in the Potteries, scoring crucial goals and beating the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal, and Everton in his debut season.

Bojan scored a superb volley against Rochdale in the FA Cup for the Potters, but later in the game, he was seriously injured, hurting his knee and keeping him out for the remainder of the 2014-15 season.

Once he returned from injury in the summer of 2015, Stoke added Champions League winner Xherdan Shaqiri to their ranks, creating a trio of Bojan, Shaqiri, and Marko Arnoutovic.

The dynamic trio was pivotal in a successful campaign for The Potters, securing a ninth-place finish in the Premier League and guiding the club to the League Cup semi-final, losing on penalties.

With more injuries, Bojan's role at the club became more limited. He stayed with Stoke until 2019, when the club was in Championship. He made 74 appearances and scored 15 goals.

During the end of his tenure at Stoke, Bojan played on loan at German club Mainz 05 and Spanish club Alavez. After scoring a goal for Mainz in the Bundesliga, Bojan became one of the only players in history to score a goal in four of Europe's top five leagues.

In the last four years of his career, between 2019-2023, Bojan played for Montreal Impact in the MLS and Vissel Kobe in the J-League under manager and former teammate Andreas Iniesta.

He made over 50 appearances for both teams combined, scoring eight goals. He announced his retirement at the age of 32 in March 2023.