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Adhe Makayasa

'His heart is there' - CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez fuels talk of Lionel Messi ending career at Newell's Old Boys

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Newell's Old Boys

The footballing world stood still as Lionel Messi bid an emotional farewell to international football at the Estadio Monumental, but the conversation has already shifted to his next move. While the legendary playmaker remains tied to Inter Miami, the dream of a homecoming to his boyhood club is being kept alive by one of South America's most powerful figures.

  • South American chief courts legend

    CONMEBOL chief Dominguez has openly talked up the chance of Messi returning to his boyhood club Newell's before retiring. Watching on from the stands at the Estadio Monumental as the captain finished his 21-year international career, Dominguez called the Rosario-born forward "a true source of pride for South America". The comments have added fresh weight to long-standing hopes of seeing Messi finish his story where he first started kicking a ball as a child.

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    President pitches Copa Libertadores dream

    Making no secret of his wish to see the forward play in South America's top club competition for Newell's, Dominguez told reporters in the Monumental mixed zone: "There is nothing that compares to it. It is unique, and it is something he deserves to play in. If I were a club president, I would do everything possible to bring him here."

    Asked if an emotional return to Rosario is genuinely possible, he added: "Why not? His heart is there."

  • Qualification hurdle dictates romantic return

    Weighing up what it would take to make the move happen, the Paraguayan official made clear that the final choice rests with the club and its fans: "It depends on the president of Newell's, on the people of Newell's. I think his heart is there. But we need Newell's to qualify."

    That qualification demand highlights the biggest practical hurdle to any fairytale return. With Messi committed to Inter Miami until late 2028, a move remains years away, meaning Newell's must first prove they can regularly compete among the continent's elite.

    The Rosario outfit currently sit sixth in Group A on 17 points from 11 matches, and they will need domestic silverware or a top-five finish in the aggregate table to secure Copa Libertadores football instead of settling for the second-tier Copa Sudamericana.


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    Domestic duties resume in Florida

    With his international farewell now behind him, Messi immediately heads back to the United States to close out the MLS regular season. The 39-year-old faces the immediate task of managing his workload as Miami prepare for a demanding play-off campaign. Any romantic return to Rosario remains firmly on hold, with the forward fully focused on his commitments in Florida.