Football legend Lionel Messi has broken his silence about a potential return to Barcelona after making a secret visit to Camp Nou stadium last weekend.
Secret Stadium Visit Sparks Speculation
The 38-year-old Argentine superstar, who is currently playing his third season with Inter Miami, was filmed at Barcelona's iconic ground on Sunday night despite the stadium being closed for £1.3 billion renovation works.
Messi surprisingly left Barcelona four years ago after failing to agree a new contract with the club he served for most of his career. The unexpected departure saw him join Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer before eventually moving to Major League Soccer.
Family Dreams of Barcelona Return
In an emotional interview with Sport newspaper, Messi revealed that his entire family is eager to return to their former home city. "I'm really looking forward to going there," Messi confessed. "We miss Barcelona so much. My wife and the kids are always talking about Barcelona, about the idea of living there again."
The World Cup winner emphasised their strong connections to the city, stating: "We have our house there, everything, so that's what we want."
Messi also expressed excitement about seeing the renovated stadium, admitting: "I'm really looking forward to going back to the stadium when it's finished because I haven't been back to Camp Nou since I moved to Paris, and then they moved to Montjuic."
World Cup Preparations and Future Plans
Despite the speculation about a European return, Messi appeared to dismiss suggestions that he would join a European club specifically to prepare for next year's World Cup. The Inter Miami forward is preparing to play in his sixth World Cup with Argentina and will turn 39 during the tournament.
"It's a special World Cup," Messi acknowledged. "It's special to play with the national team, and other important, official competitions, especially considering what a World Cup means, and after having won it."
However, the football icon stressed the importance of being physically prepared, saying: "I don't want to be a burden, so to speak. I want to feel good physically, to be sure that I can help and contribute to the group, to the squad."
Messi also revealed he has no immediate retirement plans, stating: "I'm happy with how these years have gone, and as long as I can and feel physically fit, I'll keep playing the same way, trying to compete, win, and always give my all."
The football legend added that he would only consider retirement "the moment I see that I'm not physically up to it, that I'm struggling on the pitch, or that I'm not enjoying it." For now, Messi remains focused on his current commitments while keeping the door open for an emotional return to Barcelona.
