Lionel Messi will forever be associated with FC Barcelona as the Catalan side’s greatest-ever player and symbol.
The Argentine superstar came through the club’s famed La Masia academy to lead Barcelona into a golden generation of success, with Messi the star player on Pep Guardiola’s side, which is rightfully regarded as the best club team of all time.
With former player Neymar admitting he wants to reunite with Messi and Inter Miami, the Florida franchise is becoming something of a retirement home for the 37-year-old’s former Barcelona teammates, with Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba already at the club.
And Suarez has now seemingly played a role in getting Messi to potentially face off against Barcelona.
Messi and Inter Miami to face Barcelona in ‘The Luis Suarez Cup’
According to journalist Valentin Fletcher, plans for ‘The Luis Suarez Cup’ are set to be finalized, with Inter Miami to take part in the competition alongside Barcelona, Uruguayan side Nacional and Brazilian giants Gremio.
Fletcher posted: “The Luis Suarez Cup is being prepared for 2026 in Miami: the intention is for it to be contested by Nacional, Inter Miami, FC Barcelona and Gremio. The project is for mid-2026.
“Barcelona confirmed to the businessmen who organize the tournament that the team will be in Miami on that date, but has not yet confirmed attendance because it was a primary communication. If another MLS team competes, it would be Orlando City.”
With Messi currently linked with a return to Barcelona, the forward facing off against his former side would be quite the spectacle for Inter Miami supporters, especially with Suarez also getting a swan song of his own against his three former teams.
Could Messi actually leave Inter Miami to join Barcelona?
With economists sharing how Barcelona messed up letting Messi leave when he did back in 2021, there has always been an air of mystery and allure over the Argentine international one day returning to Catalonia to get the goodbye the forward richly deserves.
And although a deal this January is unlikely, there is a real chance that Messi could actually return to Barcelona next year if the forward signs a new long-term contract with Inter Miami lasting until the end of 2026.
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham joined AC Milan on loan twice from the LA Galaxy during the MLS post-season to maintain fitness, and for Messi, a similar deal could be reached next year if the Herons once again crash out early in the play-offs.