Dubbing Arteta's ruthless Arsenal 'the new Stoke' is unfair

Jackson's rise from laughing stock to London's best striker

Dele Alli's Origin Story

Top 25 men's players of the 21st century - ranked

Arsenal teen who could be the Lionesses' next great No.9

Beats by Dre link up with Haaland in new film set in Norway

Mbappe's redemption! Madrid players and staff impressed by 'leader'

Rooney given ‘alarming’ advice amid Plymouth sack threat

Mia Khalifa makes 9/11 comment amid Julian Alvarez romantic links

Guardiola aims one last dig in apology to Mourinho

Malik Scott reacts to hilarious 'Brest' chat that saw wife Kate ban Richards 

Lehmann & Luiz kiss as Juve lovebirds decorate Christmas tree 🎄

Date set for verdict on Pogba blackmail and kidnapping trial

<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Messi opens up on Barcelona longing </li><li>Inter Miami suffered play-off heartbreak</li><li>Unable to attend anniversary celebrations</li></ul><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n"><strong>Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</strong></a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

'I belong in Barcelona' - Lionel Messi reveals family dream of returning to former home after MLS playoff heartbreak with Inter Miami despite rejecting invite to anniversary celebrations

Champions League

Borussia Dortmund

Barcelona

<p>Messi has revealed that he and his family dream of one day returning to Camp Nou, but he has been <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-barcelona-return-attend-125th-anniversary-celebration-joan-laporta-personal-invite/bltda64a3346451608c" target="_blank">unable to accept the club's invite to their 125th anniversary</a> celebrations. According to <a href="https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20241122/1002357774/leo-messi-podra-acudir-fiesta-125-aniversario-barca.html" target="_blank"><em>Mundo Deportivo</em>,</a> the World Cup winner has "unavoidable commitments" on November 29 and will be unable to fly to Spain.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>Messi tasted play-off heartbreak with Inter Miami this season, as the MLS club <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/explained-how-atlanta-united-stun-lionel-messi-dream-team-send-crazy-inter-miami-squad-crashing-out-mls-cup/blt9e9a873e8c1dc943" target="_blank">lost 3-2 to Atlanta United in Round One of the Eastern Conference Playoffs</a>. Whether Barca would be able to finance an actual deal to sign Messi remains to be seen, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/barcelona-risk-financial-meltdown-despite-kit-deal-nike/bltece087da81d72526" target="_blank">given that the prospect of financial meltdown remains very real</a>.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Messi told <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomsanderson/2024/11/22/messi-will-turn-down-fc-barcelona-invitation-reports-mundo-deportivo/#:~:text=I%20feel%20like%20I%20belong,gala%20according%20to%20Mundo%20Deportivo." target="_blank"><em>3cat</em></a>: "We had to leave the city and Catalonia, but my children are Catalan and I have lived there all my life. I feel like I belong to Barcelona, in our mind [we are] always going to live there again in the future. My children, my wife and I miss life in Barcelona, we left a lot of things there."</p>

WHAT MESSI SAID

<p>Messi will have to lick his wounds after Inter's play-off defeat. He could next be in action when Argentina play Uruguay in March. </p>

WHAT NEXT?

'I belong in Barcelona' - Lionel Messi reveals family dream of returning to former home after MLS playoff heartbreak with Inter Miami despite rejecting invite to anniversary celebrations | Goal.com Cameroon

Lionel Messi has revealed that he believes he &quot;belongs in Barcelona&quot; but will not be returning to the club for their anniversary celebrations. 

&apos;I belong in Barcelona&apos; - Lionel Messi reveals family dream of returning to former home after MLS playoff heartbreak with Inter Miami despite rejecting invite to anniversary celebrations