THe dreams of thousands of Barcelona fans seeing Lionel Messi playing in the team’s colors again, and so do some of the players.
Manchester City legend and Argentinian-born Spaniard Pablo Zabaleta also hopes that number 10 will have a “last dance” with a rose in the future.
His desire to see Messi again in Barcelona with Zabaleta
Lionel’s move to Paris Saint-Germain is perhaps the most painful chapter in the history of Barcelona and its fans. Due to financial difficulties, the club was unable to renew the Argentine captain’s contract, so he left the club in the summer of 2021 and joined Kylian Mbapp in France as a free agent.
He signed with Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami in 2023 and has already won four titles and continues to break records. But the desire to see him play again at Camp Nou is in the hearts of every Bara fan, and in the hearts of his former team-mates and rivals as well.
Zabaleta shared a dressing room with him in the Argentina national team and had to face him even while the ‘Number 10’ was playing for Rose and making his mark on the football world. That is why his departure from the Catalan club came as a surprise to him.
“To be honest, when I was playing for Espanyol and when I was playing for Manchester City, who played against Barcelona in the Champions League, I never imagined that Messi would leave the club. I thought it would be forever,” he confessed in an interview with FlashScore.
The former Argentine right-back then commented on Leo’s decision to leave Europe for the United States and sign for David Beckham’s club: “Miami was a great place to raise a family and Inter Miami was a new and exciting project. He will win wherever he goes. He has already won the MLS Cup.”
Lionel has a contract with the Herons until 2028. However, Zabaleta made no secret of his desire to return to the colors of the club that won 35 trophies and established him as the all-time top scorer with 672 goals in 778 games.
He also emphasized Messi’s presence and influence in every club he plays for, saying, “Every club in the world would want him.”My son knew very little about Inter Miami before coming here. Now he wants Messi’s jersey. “That’s the power of a man,” he said.
As for a return to Barcelona…why not? Last dance? I would love to see it.
Meanwhile, Messi has set his sights on the friendly against Albiceleste ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Lionel Scaloni’s side will face Mauritania at La Bombonera Stadium on the 31st, and then Zambia on the 31st.
Heading into soccer’s biggest tournament, to be held in Mexico, the United States and Canada from June 11 to July 19, Argentina will emerge as defending champions and must defend their title. In Group J, they will face Algeria on Tuesday, June 16th at Kansas City Stadium. They will then face Austria on Monday, June 22nd at Dallas Stadium, and Jordan on Saturday, June 27th.
