Lionel Messi is the undisputed greatest Barcelona player of all time, but his brilliance and influence extended off the pitch, where he played a significant role in the club’s ability to complete transfers. Just ask former Brazil international Paulinho.
The one-time Tottenham Hotspur midfielder left European soccer for China in 2015, joining Guangzhou FC in what many believed was his goodbye from the sport’s elite. Two years later, Barcelona came knocking and Paulinho recently revealed a hilarious exchange with Messi that facilitated his move to Catalonia.
