Lionel Messi made a quiet and emotional return to Barcelona’s Camp Nou for his first visit to the stadium since leaving in 2021. The Argentina star, now with Inter Miami, entered the renovated ground without any public announcement on Sunday night – a nostalgic moment for him and Barcelona fans.
Sharing glimpses of his overnight visit on Instagram, Messi wrote: “Last night I returned to a place I miss with all my heart. A place where I was extremely happy, where thanks to you I felt like the happiest person in the world a thousand times over.” He also expressed his desire to one day return to the club, saying: “I hope one day I can come back, not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never had the opportunity to do.”
It was Messi’s first appearance at Camp Nou since August 2021, when he tearfully bid farewell to Barcelona after the club’s financial difficulties prevented him from extending his contract. His departure, which forced him to move to Paris Saint-Germain, ended a two-decade-long chapter in which he became Barcelona’s all-time best player, scoring 672 goals and winning every major trophy with the club.
Messi, now 38, continues to shine for Inter Miami, where he recently scored twice and assisted twice in a 4-0 win over Nashville. His stellar form led the MLS club to the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has long expressed his desire to give Messi the farewell he deserves. The renovated Camp Nou, which is expected to reopen in 2026, could serve as the perfect venue for a memorial match dedicated to the Argentine icon. “It would be great to reopen the stadium with a full crowd to honor Leo,” Laporta said earlier this month.
Messi’s secret visit reignited emotions among fans who have waited years to see their hero back where it all began. Although his chapter at Barcelona came to an abrupt end, his bond with the club remains unbreakable.
For now, the visit was just a personal stop for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner – a quiet return to the place that shaped the greatest years of his career.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
November 10, 2025
