“I always dreamed of spending my entire career at Barcelona,” said the club legend Lionel Messi once again.
It has been four years since Messi was forced to leave Barcelona against his wishes. After a brief spell at PSG and nearly two and a half years in the United States with Inter Miami, the Argentine superstar’s heart still belongs to Barcelona. He revealed that he frequently discusses the possibility of returning to his beloved club with his wife and children.
Messi had to leave Barcelona in August 2021 due to the club’s financial difficulties, which prevented him from signing a new contract. He then joined the French side PSG, and since July 2023, the World Cup-winning captain has been playing for Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami. Recently, he signed a new deal with the club until 2028.
Last Sunday night, Messi made an unexpected visit to Camp Nou. His return caught everyone by surprise, only becoming public when he posted a picture on Instagram, in which he also reiterated his hope to return there in the future.
In an interview with Spanish outlet Sport published on Tuesday, the 38-year-old forward expressed the same sentiment. “I really want to go back; we miss Barcelona a lot. My wife, my children and I always talk about Barcelona and the possibility of returning. Our home is there, everything is there, so that’s what we want. Once the stadium renovations are finished, I’m really eager to go back, because since moving to Paris, I haven’t returned to Camp Nou, and then they moved to Montjuïc,” he said.
Messi has often stated his strong desire to stay at the Spanish club, reaffirming that he had dreamed of spending his entire career there.
“Leaving Barcelona felt strange, because of the circumstances. During my last years there, I played in empty stadiums due to the pandemic. After spending so much of my life at the club, I couldn’t leave in the way I had imagined or dreamed. I always said I wanted to play my entire European career at Barcelona. That was my plan, that was what I wanted,” he explained.
“Because of the circumstances, the farewell was a little unusual. But I think the fans’ love will always remain because of what I said and everything we’ve been through together.”
For Messi, Barcelona became like home. Over two decades at the club, he set numerous records, including most appearances and goals, and won ten La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies, among many others. On the pitch, he has gifted fans countless magical moments, cementing his legacy as one of football’s greatest ever.