Lionel Messi may be loving life in Miami, but it seems the Argentine’s heart can still be found in Barcelona.
Celebrating Inter Miami’s decisive 4-0 home win over Nashville SC in the third leg of the First Round MLS Cup Playoff tie, which sent the Florida team through to the Conference Semifinals against FC Cincinnati, Messi took the opportunity to hop across the pond to another pitch he knows oh so well.
“Last night, I returned to a place that I miss with all my heart,” the 38-year-old captioned a series of snaps of him both outside and walking within Spotify Camp Nou, which remains under major reconstruction.
“It’s a place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel like the happiest person in the world a thousand times over.
“I hope that one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to do…”
Messi’s abrupt exit from the La Liga side came in 2021 when he was unable to agree to a new deal with club president Joan Laporta.
This somewhat contentious breakup, driven in part by the club’s ailing finances, ultimately brought to an end what had been a historic partnership between the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and his home of 21 years on an unwelcome sour note.
Two seasons in France followed, although Messi never found his footing with Paris Saint-Germain, as is well-documented, despite winning the league title twice in a front three for the ages alongside Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
Messi opted for an entirely fresh start in 2023, following in the footsteps of David Beckham and leaving Europe behind while still at the top of his game for the sunny skies of the MLS.
He joined the Briton’s still young Miami franchise on a league record two-and-a-half-year deal, and he hasn’t looked back since.
While wearing the enigmatic pink jersey of the Herons, Messi has been named the MLS MVP, won two consecutive Golden Boots, and guided Miami to its first major trophy – the 2023 Leagues Cup.
And ahead of Miami’s recent progression in the MLS Cup Playoffs, it was finally announced that he had decided to extend his stay in the Sunshine State, extending his deal through 2028, meaning he will remain a centerpiece to the team when it finally moves to its first permanent home, Miami Fredom Park, in the Spring of 2026.
But while Messi may be tied down to Beckham’s side for the time being, Laporta recently admitted that he remains keen for Barcelona to give the FIFA World Cup winner the send-off he never got in some form of tribute game once Camp Nou’s heavily delayed rebuild has finally reached its climax.
“It would be a great way to open the stadium [when it’s completely finished], with 105,000 packed in and paying tribute to Leo,” he recently said as 23,000 fans watched on during a training session at the storied stadium, as per ESPN.
“Always, of course, depending on what [the Messi camp] wants. There are also presidential elections before then, but in the case I am still president, I would love that.”
This follows comments to 3Cat by Laporta in October, via Barca Blaugranes, in which he admitted: ”We’ve had a very good relationship for a long time. When we didn’t renew our contract, it got a little strained. And then we more or less recovered…We’re confident we can give him the great tribute he deserves.”