Lionel Messi’s childhood club, Newell’s Old Boys, made headlines this week as their vice president revealed efforts to entice the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner back to his roots in 2027.
Messi began his journey with the club in his hometown of Rosario, Argentina, at the age of six. He developed through their youth system until being discovered by Barcelona, where he eventually became one of football’s all-time greats.
At 38, Messi is currently shining for MLS team Inter Miami. Nevertheless, Newell’s continues to dream of a fairytale return.
It’s worth noting that Newell’s has seen other players return to their former clubs in recent years for a last hurrah: Sergio Ramos rejoined Sevilla; Carlos Tevez returned to Boca Juniors; and Luis Suárez came back to Nacional in 2022 before linking up with Messi in Miami.
With Valentine’s Day approaching, it’s an ideal moment to ponder future football reunions.
Lionel Messi and Newell’s Old Boys
Messi departed Newell’s Old Boys for Barcelona as a teenager in 2000, yet he has consistently expressed his affection for his boyhood club. Notably, in 2017, he revealed his long-held wish to 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.
With recent talks of a proposed deal that would see Messi join Newell’s on a six-month loan in January 2027 before returning to Inter Miami in June, his dream may come true.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s future with the Saudi Pro League appears uncertain after he opted out of Al Nassr‘s match against Al Riyadh. Reports suggest the Portuguese captain is dissatisfied with his club’s transfer activities and that his contract has a €44 million release clause this summer.
With his target of 1,000 career goals still in reach, if he were to leave Saudi Arabia, a nostalgic return to Sporting CP would be a heartwarming option.
Ronaldo has previously claimed his time in European football is over—having won everything there is to win—but could he be tempted to return to his roots at Sporting, where his senior career began nearly 25 years ago?
His mother, Dolores Aveiro, certainly hopes this will happen. In 2021, she expressed a wish during a podcast to see her son return to Sporting.
“Ronaldo has to come back here,” Aveiro, an avid Sporting supporter, stated. “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 it can’t be him, then Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.!”
By the way, Sporting made a point to wish him a happy birthday on social media as he turned 41.
Flamengo is also familiar with reunions. They recently brought back Lucas Paquetá from West Ham last month, and sporting director Jose Boto playfully suggested during Paquetá’s unveiling that they might reach out to another familiar face: Vini Jr.
“Next, we will speak with Vini Jr’s team,” Boto joked, adding that Flamengo might not have to pay a transfer fee if the Brazil star is open to letting his contract with Real Madrid expire.
Vinícius joined Flamengo at the age of six and played 50 matches for the club before transferring to Madrid in 2018. With questions regarding his immediate future at the Bernabeu, now might be the perfect time for Flamengo to act.
Griezmann has yet to play for his childhood side, Lyon, the closest being an unsuccessful academy trial as a child. Instead, he was picked up by Real Sociedad and later signed for Atlético Madrid, becoming one of the most expensive transfers in history at Barcelona before returning to Atleti, where the 34-year-old currently plays.
However, it would be quite the story if Griezmann were to wear a Lyon jersey before hanging up his boots. He has only played a single match at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium in his career, making his Champions League debut there with Sociedad in 2013.
“For me, Lyon has been my club since I was a kid,” he remarked prior to kick-off. “I used to come to watch all the Champions League matches here with my father.”
“The moment I stepped onto the Stade de Gerland pitch, I felt a rush of emotions. I even pointed out the spots in the stands where I used to sit. I can’t wait until I can put my boots on again tomorrow; there are no feelings of revenge: I just want to play.”
Casemiro has announced he will conclude his time with Manchester United once his contract expires this summer.
While his next move remains uncertain, Casemiro could very well consider a return to São Paulo, the Brazilian club he represented from the age of 10 to 20, prior to joining Real Madrid’s Castilla academy.
Although the 33-year-old has never publicly mentioned a desire to rejoin São Paulo, it’s worth noting he owes much to the Tricolour Paulista, including the nickname he has worn for over two decades.
His full name is Carlos Henrique Jose Francisco Venancio Casimiro, but he chose to wear “Casemiro” after a misspelling on his jersey during one of his earliest appearances with the club. He performed brilliantly in that match and kept the name out of superstition, leading him to wear the misprinted jerseys ever since!
Romelu Lukaku may not have started his youth career at Anderlecht, but it was indeed where his senior career began. After Lierse SK was relegated in 2006, Lukaku and 12 other youth players were transferred to Anderlecht.
This transfer proved transformative. Lukaku made his senior debut for the club in 2006 and spent four years there before moving to Chelsea in 2011. Now, at 32, the seasoned Belgium international is with Napoli in Italy, but he has frequently expressed interest in donning Anderlecht’s iconic purple jersey once more before his career ends.
With 18 months still left on his contract with Napoli, Belgian media Het Nieuwsblad suggests he might make a grand return following the 2026 World Cup.