Lionel Messi (37, Inter Miami) is seeing renewed speculation about a possible return to Barcelona. His return to his former team, which once seemed realistically impossible, has been discussed again in recent reports, increasing expectations.

Earlier, German 'Sky Sports' reported on Feb. 26 (Korean time) that "Messi wants to play his last game at Barcelona," stating that he hopes to retire at Camp Nou.

Additionally, British 'Give Me Sports' reported on Feb. 28 that Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, predicted that "Messi will return to Barcelona."

Messi established himself as the greatest player in the club's history after debuting with Barcelona's first team in 2004, recording 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 matches. He lifted 35 trophies during his time at Barcelona but had to leave the team in 2021 due to severe financial difficulties at the club, and after spending two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), he is currently playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States.

Speculation about Messi's return to Barcelona has been consistently raised, but many have assessed it as less feasible after he chose to move to the United States instead of staying in Europe after parting ways with PSG in 2023.

The atmosphere has changed. Sky Sports explained that "Messi's contract with Inter Miami runs until the end of 2025, but includes a one-year extension clause. So far, Messi has not expressed an intention to activate it or enter into an additional contract," which has contributed to the renewed possibility of his return to Barcelona.

In particular, journalist Alex Kendall noted that "Messi cannot retire without playing again at Camp Nou," claiming that Messi has directly expressed his desire to return to Barcelona. Barcelona is also currently closely evaluating the possibility of his return and is reportedly analyzing what role Messi could play under the coaching of Hansi Flick.

There are also opposing views. Spanish football expert Guillem Balague asserted on Feb. 27 that "Messi has no plans to return to Barcelona," pointing out that his relationship with current Barcelona president Joan Laporta makes a return difficult. Additionally, Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas expressed confidence that "Messi will play in the new stadium opening in 2026," affirming his stay in MLS.

In this context, 'TNT Sports' reported on March 20 that Barcelona is doing its utmost to re-sign Messi in the summer of 2026 and is planning to bring him back after the joint-hosted World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

There are still obstacles. Barcelona is currently struggling to resolve player registration issues due to financial problems, and in order to sign Messi, they will need to address economic factors.

Currently, Messi's future remains uncertain, but it is clear that the possibility of his return to Barcelona has once again become a hot topic. Whether fans will see Messi play for Barcelona one more time before his retirement has garnered the attention of football fans worldwide.

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