'I miss the club a lot' - Lionel Messi sends out heartfelt message to Barcelona as Argentine superstar vows to help make Catalans 'even greater'

Messi, a name synonymous with Barcelona's storied history, has once again expressed his deep affection for the Catalan club. Although the Inter Miami star is unable to attend Barcelona's 125th anniversary celebrations, his sentiments toward his boyhood team remain as heartfelt as ever.

During his tenure at Camp Nou, Messi achieved unparalleled success, winning 35 trophies, including four UEFA Champions League titles and 10 La Liga crowns. He also claimed six Ballon d'Or awards, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

In an interview with 3Cat, Messi said: "I congratulate the club on its 125th anniversary. It is a great pride for me to be part of this club and to be a fan of Barcelona. It’s a special club, different from the others, with all the difficulties that this imposes because of the way things are managed in football today.”

Messi reminisced about his journey with the club, recalling how fate brought him to Barcelona as a young boy.

“I was lucky that God led me to this place [Barcelona] and I spent my whole life in this wonderful club," he added. "Representing the Barcelona first team as we love and want is a great pride for me. I miss the club, the city, the people and all that love. As always, I hope we can continue to succeed and make this club bigger and better. I miss the club, the city, the people and all the love. As always, I hope we can continue to succeed and make this club even greater.”

As Barcelona marks its 125th anniversary, Messi's heartfelt tribute serves as a poignant reminder of the legacy he left at Camp Nou. The Catalan club will be back in action against Las Palmas on Saturday in La Liga.

Whereas, with the MLS season concluded, Messi now has time to recharge ahead of the 2025 campaign, which begins in mid-February. The 37-year-old enjoyed a stellar season with Inter Miami, scoring 21 goals and finishing second in the Golden Boot race.