We have never seen a human mission to Mars, forget about playing football in that planet. NASA has claimed that they are building a special spacecraft known as the Orion, which could yet make the miracle of transporting humans to the red planet, true.

United States President Donald Trump also earlier this year signed a bill known as the NASA Transition Authorization Act, that could yet see the unthinkable reality taking place by 2033. According to the Act, NASA would be provided with a budget of $19.5 billion to get the job done.

While that remains far from reality for now, a certain Italy footballer has claimed that if human colonisation would have been possible in Mars a decade or so back, he could have been the Lionel Messi and Neymar of that planet.

Antonio Cassano is now a retired footballer at the age of 35. He has won the La Liga with Real Madrid as well as the Serie A title with AC Milan in the past. His versatility playing as a forward is also revered, but his current statements may have been a bit over-dramatic.

antonio cassano
Antonio Cassano while playing for Serie A club SampdoriaGabriele Maltinti/Getty

"I am a problematic guy, as I never know what mood I'm going to wake up in," Cassano spoke to Italian publication Rai Sport. "I could've been playing on another planet, but I had this issue that I didn't like training and I wanted to eat the way I felt like at the time and I ruined myself.

"I played in the best clubs in the world, like Real Madrid, Inter and Milan. If I'd had another head on my shoulders, I could've been playing on Mars.

"I'd be like Lionel Messi, Neymar and few others."

Cassano has one of his sons named Lionel, as a tribute to the FC Barcelona legend. Although Cassano's capabilities on the field were revered, he made quite a few controversial actions in his career -- from ranting against gays to indulging in a locker room fight with his former coach at Inter, Andrea Stramaccioni.

The 35-year-old footballer was diagnosed with cerebral damage a few years back. He last played for Italian club Verona. For the Italy national football team, Cassona scored ten times from a total of 39 official matches.

It remains to be seen if Cassano is still at the best of his shape when (and IF) the human mission to Mars finally undertakes in 2033!