PARIS Lionel Messi officially joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The certainty of the news made some people in the city of Rosario, Argentina, heartbroken. Because by leaving for PSG, Lionel Messi automatically did not join Newell’s Old Boys, a club based in Rosario.
Rosario is the city where Lionel Messi grew up before he and his family moved to Barcelona in February 2001. Lionel Messi had defended the academy team Newell’s Old Boys and the club’s name always appears whenever there is speculation about the future of the superstar.
(Lionel Messi (yellow circle) while defending Newell’s Old Boys)
The chaos of Argentine football and the departure of many players because the club was in debt, did not stop Newell’s fans from dreaming about Lionel Messi’s return.
However, the dream must be extinguished again at least for some time to come. This was after Messi arrived at Le Bourget Airport on Tuesday 10 August 2022, wearing a T-shirt that read “This is Paris” to a crowd of PSG fans chanting his name.
“Of course, in times like these we are always excited, maybe he will never come home but we always have that hope,” Newell’s former president Juan Jose Cocina told Reuters on Wednesday (11/8/2021).
“When things like this happen, the name of our club always comes up because there is an emotional bond that counts.”
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Some in Rosario were not at all surprised that Lionel Messi never returned to Newell’s. However, Newell’s had one good reason to nurture their hopes. Because, Argentina’s other greatest footballer, Diego Maradona, never wore a red and blue jersey in the 1993-94 season.
Little boy Lionel Messi who was only six years old was on the pitch when Maradona made his debut for Newell’s and at the death of the legend, Lionel Messi paid his respects by celebrating a goal by removing his Barcelona jersey and replacing it with a Newell’s.
(Lionel Messi officially joins PSG)
Of course Lionel Messi’s return will benefit Newell’s reputation more than the megastar. Maradona and Messi’s bond is common knowledge, plus figures like Mauricio Pochettino and Marcelo Bielsa can add to the glamorous aspect of Newell’s.
However, bringing Messi home will certainly change everything. “As a supporter, when this kind of thing happens you say ‘Who can guarantee he won’t come home?’,” said Cocina.
“Diego is a Boca Juniors supporter and joined Newell’s. If you look at the case of Messi, maybe he will come back here because of his heart,” he continued.
Lionel Messi has officially signed a two-year PSG contract, with the option of a one-year extension. La Pulga is PSG’s fifth signing of the summer transfer window after Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, Georginio Wijnaldum and Sergio Ramos.
