Lionel Messi back where it all began? Newell’s Old Boys’ new manager fuels dream with emotional eight-word confession

The soccer world has learned never to completely close the door on romance, especially when Lionel Messi is involved. Even after committing his future to Inter Miami, whispers from Argentina refuse to fade. This time, the conversation has been reignited not by agents or transfer insiders, but by an emotional voice from the touchline of Newell’s Old Boys — the club where Messi’s story began long before the Ballon d’Or awards, Champions League nights, and World Cup glory.

At first glance, the path ahead seems clearly mapped. Messi delivered another historic season, guiding his current club to the MLS Cup and extending his contract into the late stages of his career. Yet in Rosario, where his childhood dreams were formed, belief has a way of surviving even the most concrete realities.

Newell’s Old Boys enter 2026 under new leadership, with a fresh sporting project and renewed optimism after a turbulent period that narrowly avoided relegation. At the center of that optimism — quietly but persistently — sits the idea of Messi wearing the red-and-black shirt one last time.

Newly appointed head coach Sergio Gomez has not attempted to dress the situation up as a negotiation or a realistic short-term plan. Instead, he spoke openly about emotion, hope, and what Messi represents beyond soccer. “Everyone at Newell’s, including us, thinks it would be wonderful if he had the chance to play for his club and in his city,” Gomez told reporters. “It would be a dream not only for our fans, but for the whole country.”

Respect before romance

Crucially, Gomez and the club hierarchy have drawn a clear line between admiration and entitlement. The message from Rosario is not one of expectation, but of respect. According to the coach, Messi owes nothing to the club — and any return would have to be driven purely by the player himself.

“First, we have to see if Messi is eager to connect with Newell’s,” he explained. “I may really want Messi to come, but it’s not enough to just say ‘someday, someday.’”  In the middle of an otherwise measured response, Gomez allowed raw emotion to surface, offering a confession that instantly travelled across Argentine soccer. “I see Messi and he makes me cry.”

Those eight words captured what contracts, timelines, and sporting logic cannot.  Yet even in that moment, Gomez was careful to protect the institution. “But that doesn’t mean he’s above the club at all,” he added.

Following the footsteps of legends?

To explain what a Messi return would truly require, Gomez pointed to history. Newell’s has been here before, welcoming icons home not through pressure, but through clarity of intent. “One day, Maradona said: ‘I’m going to play in Newell’s,’” Gomez recalled. “One day Tata Martino said: ‘I’m going to lend a hand in Newell’s.’ Messi has no commitment or obligation to Newell’s. But if he really wants to come, he’d have to say so.”

For now, Messi’s life is firmly rooted elsewhere. His contract with Inter Miami runs through 2028, taking him beyond his 40th birthday. On the pitch, he remains decisive. Off it, his family has settled, and long-term plans reportedly include a return to Barcelona after retirement rather than an immediate move back to Argentina.