Argentine star Lionel Messi, striker for the American team Inter Miami, said he had imagined he would spend his entire career at the Spanish club FC Barcelona, expressing his intention to return to the Catalan city, but he has not yet decided whether he will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with his national team. In an interview with the Catalan newspaper 'Sport', Messi said: 'I always feel nostalgic for the past, and many emotions overwhelm me whenever I hear something about Barcelona. They are incredible memories.' He added: 'I felt a strange feeling after leaving the team, because I played my last years without fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.' Messi continued: 'After spending my whole life at Barcelona, I did not leave the club in the way I had imagined or dreamed of. I imagined that I would spend my whole life in Europe and my whole career with Barcelona. That was my plan and my desire.' He went on to say: 'The experience of moving to Paris Saint-Germain seemed like a nightmare, but it was not. My family and I enjoyed the city's atmosphere. Paris is a wonderful city, but I was not enjoying the daily routine in my work, whether in training or matches. Honestly, I was not comfortable.' Messi stressed: 'I am seriously looking forward to returning to Barcelona again. I miss the city and the club a lot, my wife and I talk about it all the time, and about the idea of living there again. I also look forward to returning to Camp Nou stadium after its reopening, because I have not been back there since my move to Paris and then the team moved its matches to Montjuïc.' Regarding the possibility of participating in the 2026 World Cup, Messi said: 'Playing for the national team is a great feeling, especially in major tournaments like the World Cup, and it became even more amazing after winning the title, but I repeat, I don't want to be a burden.' He continued: 'I want to feel that I am in good physical condition and be sure that I am physically fit, because the season in the American league is different from the European leagues, because there is a preparation period between seasons, and we will play a number of matches just a few days before the World Cup, so I am waiting to see how ready I am.'
