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Lionel Messi's international career with Argentina has come to an end. While he still has two years remaining on his Inter Miami contract, questions linger about his long-held dream of playing for his hometown club Newell's Old Boys before hanging up his boots for good.
Argentina gave Messi a proper send-off in Buenos Aires this week, with a sold-out friendly against Benin that carried far greater emotional weight than the quickly arranged opponent might indicate.
His iconic No. 10 jersey will soon be passed on, and Messi's full attention will shift to Inter Miami's goals in Major League Soccer and on the continental stage. No MLS club has claimed back-to-back titles since the LA Galaxy did so in 2011 and 2012, yet the Herons are well-positioned to reach the 2026 playoffs as they look to defend last season's MLS Cup crown.
Messi remains fully committed to Miami and seems content with the direction things are heading. He will be 41 years old in 2028 when his deal runs out. Most footballers would have retired well before that age, but Messi has never been conventional. His style has always relied less on endurance and more on explosive, decisive moments — a quality that has undoubtedly allowed him to perform at an elite level well beyond the typical retirement window.
Even at 41, the prospect of joining Newell's doesn't seem far-fetched.
Signing With Newell's Old Boys Would Realize 'Childhood Dream'
In a 2019 FIFA interview, Messi described playing in the "Newell's shirt" as a "childhood dream." Still at Barcelona at the time, he acknowledged uncertainty about whether it would ever be possible, noting that his children's well-being would always take priority.
He joined the youth academy of the Rosario-based club in 1995 and spent five years there before his life was transformed by a move to Barcelona's La Masia in 2000 at just 13 years old.
As a result, Messi has never played professional club football in his home country. A return to Argentina would also open the door to the Copa Libertadores — a competition that CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez is eager to see him participate in.
"There is nothing that compares to it. It is unique, and it is something he deserves to play in. If I were a club president, I would do everything possible to bring him here," Domínguez told reporters at Estadio Monumental following Messi's farewell match.
Copa Libertadores Challenge Laid Down
Domínguez even managed to speak with Messi directly, saying, "I think the only thing he's missing is playing in the Copa Libertadores." Turning toward the player, he asked, "Do you accept the challenge?" Messi gave no direct answer, though the exchange was later shared on the president's Instagram page.
The Libertadores stands as South America's premier club trophy, comparable to Europe's Champions League. Newell's will not be competing in 2026 following a difficult 2025 campaign that saw them finish 27th out of 30 in the annual aggregate standings. They haven't claimed a national title since 2013, and it has been nearly as long — since 2014 — since they last featured in the Libertadores.
If Messi's goal were to compete in South America's top club tournament, Newell's may not be the ideal vehicle unless the club undergoes a significant turnaround in the coming years. That said, a return to Newell's — rather than the Libertadores itself — would be the primary motivation behind any such move.
Returning home is a familiar path for South America's greatest stars after long stints in Europe. It doesn't always signal retirement, as Luis Suárez demonstrated when he signed with Nacional in Uruguay, only to move on after just 14 appearances. Carlos Tevez, for his part, made two separate homecoming stints with Boca Juniors.
Sergio Agüero never had the opportunity to rejoin Independiente — the club he left at 18 — after a heart condition forced him into early retirement during his time at Barcelona. Meanwhile, Ángel Di María is currently contracted to Rosario Central, having returned to his boyhood club in 2025.