Lionel Messi has put an end to the widespread speculation suggesting his eldest son, 13-year-old Thiago Messi, was set to return to Spain to join FC Barcelona’s renowned La Masia academy. The rumors, which had been circulating across various media outlets and social platforms, were addressed directly by the Argentine legend ahead of Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup match against Atletico San Luis.
When questioned by journalist Bruno Vain about whether his son would be leaving the United States, Messi responded with a single, definitive word: “No.” This brief but clear statement effectively halted the mounting conjecture surrounding the youngster's future.
Thiago has been developing his skills as a midfielder within the Inter Miami youth setup since joining the club in 2023. Describing his son’s playing style in an earlier interview with Simplemente Futbol, the elder Messi noted that Thiago is “more thoughtful, more of an organiser, more of a midfielder,” distinguishing his approach from his own attacking role. Currently, there are no plans for Thiago to depart the Florida-based club.
The speculation appears to have been fueled by the teenager's history with the Catalan club; Thiago previously spent time at the Barça Escola from 2016 to 2019 during his father’s tenure at Barcelona, and later trained at Paris Saint-Germain’s academy during the family's time in France. Furthermore, because Thiago is now roughly the same age as his father was when he moved from Rosario to Catalonia to begin his footballing journey, observers had drawn parallels between their career paths.
This clarification comes just days after the fifth-year anniversary of Lionel Messi’s emotional departure from Barcelona. On August 5, 2021, the club captain famously bid farewell to the Blaugrana following the expiration of his contract, marking the conclusion of a historic era for the player and the organization.
In other recent football news, Lionel Messi made a significant impact on his return to action, scoring a brace and setting a record during Inter Miami’s 4-2 victory over Atlético San Luis in the Leagues Cup. Guillermo Hoyos has since likened Messi to football's Picasso following this performance. Meanwhile, the football world continues to monitor the market, with analysts predicting which clubs the summer's biggest free agents will sign for. Additionally, the Premier League has issued a statement explaining why Tottenham Hotspur were not awarded a penalty against Leeds, clarifying why Spurs midfielder James Maddison was denied a big moment on his return from injury.
Without breaking stride, Messi gave a simple but unequivocal response: “No.”
Unlike his father, Thiago is considered more of a playmaker than an attacker.
