Lionel Messi has spoken many emotional words throughout his legendary career, but none have moved football fans as much as his reflection on the club that formed him. “My love for Barça will be eternal… I arrived here when I was 13!” he said in a soft voice, but loaded with the weight of two decades of memories. With serene sincerity, Messi reminded the world of the unbreakable bond that unites him to the club where he went from being a quiet child to becoming one of the best footballers of all time. «I have been playing in the first team for 16 years, I think, and 20 or 21 years since I arrived at Barcelona when I was 12 or 13 years old. Someday, when I can no longer play at the highest level, I will definitely return…”

These words immediately moved Barcelona fans around the world. Even after his departure, even after the pain of leaving the stadium that had been his home since childhood, Messi has always spoken of Barça not as a club, but as part of his identity. There he learned discipline, there he found a family, there he forged lifelong friendships, and there he became a symbol of hope for millions. Every goal, every assist, every magical moment he starred in on the field bore the seal of La Masia, the Barcelona youth academy that welcomed a boy with big dreams and turned him into a legend.

For many fans, Messi’s recent statements feel like a promise: a subtle, unspoken assurance that the story is not over. Although he now plays for another team, the emotional bond that unites him to Barcelona has never faded. Sources close to the club have stated that Messi follows the games with the same intensity as always, encouraging the young talents, celebrating their successes and suffering their defeats. His children, who grew up in Catalonia, still sing Barça songs, and his wife has frequently expressed the affection the family feels for the years they spent living in the city. In many ways, Barcelona is not just Messi’s past. It’s your home.

And yet behind his heartfelt statement lies a recognition of the passage of time: the reality that even the most brilliant careers come to an end. Messi knows it. He knows that the day will come when his body can no longer support the weight of elite football. The difference is that he has already decided where he wants his career to end. “When I can no longer play at the highest level, I will definitely return,” he said, leaving the fans expectant. Not necessarily to play, but to return to the place where it all began. Whether as an ambassador, coach, mentor or simply as a symbolic figure guiding the next generation, Messi has made it clear that he wants the last chapter of his football life to be written in Barcelona.

Barcelona managers have been dreaming of such a return for some time. They understand that Messi’s influence goes beyond titles and headlines. His presence, even off the field, could inspire promising young players, attract global attention and recover the cultural essence that defined the club during its golden era. In fact, many have speculated that there has already been discreet, private talk about a possible role for Messi in the future. The club, still recovering from the financial and structural crisis, would welcome the stability and emotional strength that his return would bring.

Meanwhile, fans are already imagining what it would be like. Messi on the wing, delicately guiding a young winger. Messi stepping on the Camp Nou grass during a tribute match, received by 100,000 voices chanting his name. Messi along with his former teammates—Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets—working together to rebuild the Barça philosophy that they once embodied to perfection. It is the dream of a lifetime, and Messi’s recent words have only fueled it.

But beyond the speculation, one truth remains unshakable: Messi’s heart never left Barcelona. His tears on the day of his departure, his silence when leaving the press conference and his continued affection for the club are proof of a love that time cannot erase. For him, Barcelona was never just a team. It was his childhood, his family, his destiny.

And one day, when he retires permanently, Lionel Messi will once again cross the doors of the club that saw him grow up. Not like the boy who arrived at 13 years old. Not like the superstar who conquered the world. But as the man who never forgot his roots and who never stopped loving them.