Barcelona candidate scores ‘first major goal’ to bring Messi back – ‘Looking forward to seeing you again’

Joe Williams
Former Barcelona star Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi has been linked with a return to Barcelona.

Barcelona presidential candidate Marc Ciria wants to bring Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi back to the Camp Nou, according to reports.

The Argentina legend will go down as one of the best, if not the best, player in the history of football when he eventually hangs up his boots.

Messi has scored 792 goals in 973 club appearances and 115 goals in 196 caps for Argentina with the forward winning everything the game has to offer, including eight Ballon d’Ors.

As a Barcelona player, Messi won ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Reys, seven Spanish Super Cups, four Champions Leagues, three UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups.

There were even rumours last year that Inter Miami star Messi could return on loan to Europe in the winter as he looked to keep sharp ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

But Messi, who was linked with a move to Turkish giants Galatasaray in January, cast doubt over his participation at the tournament in December when he said: “I hope I can be there. I’ve said before that I’d love to be there.

MEDIAWATCH: How Mourinho ‘tried to comfort’ Vinicius Junior before leaving fans in ‘hysterics’ by ‘doing a Wenger’

“At worst, I’ll be there watching it live, but it will be special. The World Cup is special for everyone, for any country, especially for us, because we live it in a completely different way.”

And Messi, who has been linked with a return to Barcelona, caused a stir in December when he made an impromptu visit to the Camp Nou, which is currently being redeveloped, before Argentina played Spain in the international break.

Following the visit, Messi wrote on social media: “Last night I returned to a place I miss with all my heart.

“A place where I was immensely happy, where you all made me feel a thousand times over like the happiest person in the world.

MAILBOX: Mourinho victim blaming is ‘absolutely pathetic’ – even if Vinicius can be ‘a kn*b’ sometimes

“I hope I can return someday, and not just to say goodbye as a player, which I never got to do…”

And now Barcelona presidential candidate Ciria, who is the main alternative to Joan Laporta and Victor Font, revealed a huge banner in the centre of the Catalan city, on the corner of Travessera de Gracia and Aribau Street, with an image of Messi holding a Barca shirt and the message: ‘Looking forward to seeing you again’.

A report in Spain explains that Ciria ‘scores the first major goal of this phase of the Barça elections’ and adds: ‘It points to the pre-candidate’s intention to bring Messi back to Barca, a feat that currently seems quite unrealistic.

‘The banner measures 24 x 18 meters and was paid for by a group of club members, whose names appear at the bottom. A QR code is also featured at the bottom, allowing fans to interact with Messi and send video messages to the Argentine star. Ciria’s team hopes that Messi himself will receive the videos and remember that Barça fans long for his return to the club of his life, the club that gave him everything.’

READ NEXT: Man United-Rashford-Barcelona transfer resolution tells us whether United might be serious again

Barcelona Lionel Messi

Related Articles