Lionel Messi is set to make a triumphant return to the Estadio Monumental next year during Inter Miami’s preseason tour, which will likely feature a match against River Plate in Buenos Aires.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner concluded his international career with Argentina on October 6, wearing the Albiceleste number 10 shirt for the final time in a 3-0 victory against Benin. That night featured emotional speeches, tears, and a final farewell after 208 matches and 21 years representing his country, with Messi recording one goal and two assists.
Months after that emotional farewell, the forward could return to the exact same pitch wearing pink. Kily González said that an upcoming friendly match against River Plate is “casi confirmado,” bringing the star back to a home crowd that assumed they had seen him play his final game on Argentine soil.
If the fixture goes ahead before the start of the 2027 MLS season, Messi will add a distinct milestone to his storied career by playing his first club match in his home country. Messi left Argentina at just 13 years old to join Barcelona’s La Masia academy, spending nearly four decades representing the Catalan club, Paris Saint-Germain, and now Inter Miami.
| Club | Opponent | Match Type | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| FC Barcelona | Estudiantes de La Plata | Copa Mundial de Clubes Final (2009) | |
| FC Barcelona | River Plate | Copa Mundial de Clubes Final (2015) | |
| FC Barcelona | Boca Juniors | Preseason Friendly | |
| Inter Miami | Newell’s Old Boys | Preseason Friendly |
Prior to this potential encounter, Messi had never played a club match in Argentina. He previously faced Argentine opposition exclusively abroad, meeting Estudiantes de La Plata and River Plate in FIFA Club World Cup finals during his tenure with Barcelona, alongside preseason friendlies against Boca Juniors and his boyhood club, Newell’s Old Boys.
