Overview
- Lionel Messi quietly toured the Camp Nou and posted that he hopes to return someday, calling the stadium a place he deeply misses.
- FC Barcelona publicly welcomed the visit, and president Joan Laporta said inaugurating the new stadium with a Messi homage would be a “beautiful” option if he remains in charge.
- Messi is under contract with Inter Miami, with local reports noting an extension to 2028, and a journalist said he currently has no intention of leaving the MLS club.
- Media have highlighted the MLS “Beckham clause” as a theoretical path for a short off‑season loan in January 2026, but any sporting return would require agreements and remains speculative.
- The stop in Barcelona came as Messi trains with Argentina in Spain before Friday’s friendly against Angola, with some outlets describing the stadium visit as spontaneous.