Even at 37 and playing thousands of miles away in Miami, Lionel Messi remains inextricably tied to Barcelona. The Argentine legend, now captaining Inter Miami, continues to support the club that shaped his illustrious career. After Barcelona clinched the 2024-25 LaLiga title, Messi celebrated the milestone with a message to his former team.
With three games remaining in the LaLiga season, Barcelona held a commanding lead over archrivals Real Madrid. A single victoryâor a Real Madrid lossâwas all they needed to secure the league title.
Facing Espanyol in the Catalan Derby, Barcelona delivered a dominant 2-0 victory, with rising stars Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez finding the net. The win secured Barcelonaâs 28th LaLiga title and capped an impressive season that also saw them claim the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de España.
Following the victory, Messi took to Instagram to congratulate the club where he spent 18 unforgettable seasons, playing 837 matches, scoring 709 goals, and winning 41 trophiesâa legacy that firmly cements him as one of the greatest players in Barcelonaâs history.
Messiâs message to FC Barcelona. (@leomessi)
Messi wanted a Barcelona return
After his shocking exit from Barcelona, Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain, where he never quite found the same comfort or success he enjoyed in Spain. Once his time with PSG came to an end, the eight-time Ballon dâOr winner revealed his hopes of returning to Barcelona, though those plans ultimately fell through.
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âI had the intention of returning to Barcelona and being able to go back to a place I always wanted to be, but it was not possible again,â Messi shared during an interview with ESPNâs Simplemente Futbol.
âAfter that, it became a family decision. The fact that we won the World Cup [in 2022] also had a big impact. I was clear that I didnât want to be at another team in Europe. I didnât want to go to any of them,â he added.
Instead, Messi chose Inter Miami and the MLS, drawn to the ambition and vision of the club. â[To play with] a new club that was full of ambition and wanted to grow and do important things. That really drew me in,â he explained.
