Lionel Messi’s childhood club, Newell’s Old Boys, made headlines this week when their vice president announced plans to bring the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner back to his roots in 2027.
After joining the club in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina, at just six years old, Messi grew up within their youth system before being discovered by Barcelona, where he evolved into one of the greatest players in football history.
Now at 38 and shining for MLS team Inter Miami, the dream of a storybook return to Newell’s still lingers.
There’s a historical precedent for such moves. Several players have returned to their former clubs for a final swan song: Sergio Ramos rejoined Sevilla; Carlos Tevez went back to Boca Juniors; and Luis Suárez returned to his youth club Nacional in 2022 before linking up with Messi in Miami.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, it’s the perfect moment to explore potential football homecomings in the near future.
Lionel Messi, Newell’s Old Boys
Messi departed from Newell’s Old Boys to join Barcelona as a teenager in 2000, but he has often spoken fondly of his childhood club, notably in 2017 when he expressed a wish to one day play for them again.
“I’ve said many times that my dream is to play at Newell’s, but I don’t know what will happen,” he told TyC Sports.
Amid reports of Newell’s negotiating a proposed six-month loan deal for Messi starting January 2027—before he returns to Inter Miami in June—his dream may become a reality.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s future in the Saudi Pro League is reportedly in doubt after he chose to miss Al Nassr’s match against Al Riyadh. The Portugal captain is believed to be dissatisfied with his club’s transfer dealings, and various reports suggest a €44 million release clause in his contract this summer.
If he departs Saudi Arabia while still aiming for 1,000 career goals, could an emotional return to Sporting CP be in the cards?
Ronaldo has previously claimed that his time in European football is over, having won everything there is to win. but, the allure of reuniting with Sporting, where he began his senior career nearly 25 years ago, might prove irresistible.
His mother, Dolores Aveiro, is certainly in favor of it. In 2021, she expressed her dream of seeing her son return to Sporting on a podcast.
“Ronaldo has to come back here,” Aveiro, a devoted Sporting fan, said. “If it were my choice, he would already be here. He enjoys watching Sporting games. I’ve told him: ‘Son, before I die, I want to see you return to Sporting’. He replies: ‘Let’s see’: But if not him, then Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.! “
especially, Sporting made a point of sending enthusiastic birthday wishes to him on social media for his 41st birthday.
Flamengo is known for hosting reunions. The club recently brought back Lucas Paquetá from West Ham, and sporting director Jose Boto raised eyebrows when he jested during Paquetá’s unveiling that a certain academy graduate was next on their wish list.
“Next, we will talk to Vini Jr’s staff,” Boto humorously remarked, adding that Flamengo might not need to pay a transfer fee if the Brazil star is willing to let his contract with Real Madrid expire.
Vinícius joined Flamengo at the age of six and made 50 appearances for the club before transferring to Madrid in 2018. With speculation swirling around the 25-year-old’s future at the Bernabeu, now could be the perfect time for Flamengo to make a move.
Antoine Griezmann didn’t get to play for his childhood club, Lyon, as he only had an unsuccessful academy trial there. Instead, he moved to Spain where he was picked up by Real Sociedad. He later signed for Atlético Madrid, became Barcelona’s fifth-most expensive transfer of all time, and has now returned to Atleti.
What a story it would be for Griezmann to wear a Lyon jersey before hanging up his boots. He has only played one match at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium, appearing in his Champions League debut with Sociedad in 2013.
“For me, Lyon has been my club since I was a kid,” he mentioned ahead of a match. “I used to come and watch all the Champions League games here with my father.”
“When I stepped onto the Stade de Gerland pitch, I felt a wave of emotions. I even pointed to the spots in the stands where I used to sit. I can’t wait to lace up my boots tomorrow, but there’s no feeling of revenge: I just want to play.”
Casemiro recently revealed his intention to end his time at Manchester United as his contract comes to an end this summer.
While his next destination is yet to be confirmed, he could very well have the opportunity to return to his roots with São Paulo, the Brazilian club he represented from ages 10 to 20 before Real Madrid’s Castilla academy came calling.
though the 33-year-old hasn’t publicly stated a desire to rejoin São Paulo, it’s noteworthy that he owes a significant part of his identity to them—most notably the nickname on the back of his shirt for over two decades.
His full name is Carlos Henrique Jose Francisco Venancio Casimiro, but he has carried “Casemiro” on his jersey since they misspelled his name in one of his earliest games for the club.
Legend has it that he played remarkably well that day and chose not to correct the jersey’s spelling out of superstition, which is why he has continued to sport misprinted jerseys ever since!
Romelu Lukaku’s youth career didn’t kick off at Anderlecht, but his professional journey certainly did. He was previously at Lierse SK until their relegation in 2006, which led to Lukaku being one of 13 youth players sent to Anderlecht.
The transition proved fruitful, as Lukaku made his senior debut for the club in 2006 and spent four years there before moving to Chelsea in 2011. Now at 32 and currently playing for Napoli in Italy, he has expressed a desire to wear Anderlecht’s purple jersey once more before he hangs up his boots.
although having 18 months left on his contract at Napoli, Belgian news outlet Het Nieuwsblad reports that a grand return home could be on the horizon for him after the 2026 World Cup.
