The 38-year-old Argentine World Cup champion, who began Barca's youth system at 13 and became the club’s all-time leading scorer with 672 goals in 778 games, departed the Catalan club in 2021 when they were unable to afford keeping him.

Having secured 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions League trophies, and three Club World Cups with Barca, Messi currently plays for Inter Miami after spending two years at Paris Saint-Germain.

Barcelona reopened Camp Nou on Friday after 895 days of closure, unveiling the upgraded stadium with an open training session attended by 21,795 spectators.

"Last night, I returned to a place I deeply miss. A place where I was incredibly happy, where you made me feel like the luckiest person on earth a thousand times over," the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner posted on Instagram Monday.

"I hope that someday I can come back, and not just to say farewell as a player, which I never had the chance to do."

Messi renewed his contract with Inter Miami in October and has previously indicated that this Major League Soccer team will likely be his final club.

"You will always have a home here, Leo," Barca wrote on X.