Kevin-Prince Boateng opens up on how football made him a 'smarter person'

Barcelona forward Kevin Prince Boateng has revealed that football means everything to him and the sport has made him a "smarter person."

According to Boateng, football is not just about being on the field and scoring goals but you get to explore other cultures.

The well-travelled player recently joined Barcelona on loan, his second return to Spain after playing in England, Germany and Italy for several clubs.

"I think without football I would not be as smart as I am today, because everyone thinks that the word football means being on the pitch or scoring a goal or a heel, but it has helped me to become smarter, more open and learn so many languages," he said on Sky Sports Italia's The Lord of Football Show.

"Football is more than just shooting and scoring, which is what we need to know, even for young people, because today we see Neymar making a number and we all applaud him, of course he is one of the strongest players.

But we want to be all like him, but football is something more: an opportunity to learn languages and get to a mental level that, perhaps, you would never have thought you could achieve ".

Kevin Prince Boateng made his Barcelona debut against Sevilla in the first leg Copa del Rey defeat to Sevilla.