Twenty-six years have passed since a 13-year-old Lionel Messi left his hometown of Rosario for Barcelona, chasing a trial at La Masia and a chance at a future that once seemed almost impossible. At the time, few could have grasped the scale of what was beginning. That journey did more than alter Messi’s life; it reshaped modern football, transformed Barcelona’s identity, influenced Argentina’s destiny and forged one of the most iconic player-club relationships the sport has ever seen.
When Messi left Barcelona in 2021, the split reverberated far beyond Camp Nou. It was not simply the end of an era. It was a rupture that forced the club to confront harsh financial realities, rethink its sporting model and begin a painful rebuild.
In that sense, Messi’s Barcelona farewell — followed by a difficult spell at Paris Saint-Germain and his eventual move to Inter Miami — has become part of a much larger football story. Its effects can still be seen in Argentina’s relentless competitive edge and in Spain’s remarkable depth, led by the explosive emergence of Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal.
That is why Sunday’s World Cup final carries a distinct Barcelona thread running through it, one tied to history, circumstance and the enduring influence of La Masia.
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Messi’s departure was driven by Barcelona’s financial collapse and years of poor management. Saddled with enormous debt and restricted by La Liga’s financial fair play rules, the club could not register a new deal for the player who had defined it for more than two decades. After 21 years in Catalonia, an emotional Messi said goodbye and signed with PSG.
In the seasons that followed, Barcelona had little choice but to lean once more on its greatest internal resource: La Masia. The academy that shaped Messi was asked again to provide answers, talent and hope at a time when expensive solutions were no longer realistic.
Since Messi’s exit, at least 15 La Masia graduates have played significant roles for Barcelona. Among them is Yamal, who broke into the senior team during the 2022-23 season under then-manager Xavi and quickly became one of the brightest young stars in world football.
Yamal aside, this acceleration of young Spanish talents now infiltrates La Roja with the likes of Pedri, Gavi, Pau Cubarsí, Eric García and Dani Olmo, all of whom are very important for the national team and a reason why Spain’s dominance has catapulted.
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Yamal especially. His arrival to Barcelona’s first team and Spain was sorely needed as he injected a vital, creative spark that had been missing. Yamal is a confident young superstar. A brand-new mold of star, full of swagger and without any inhibition regarding his game. He knows exactly who he is and, thanks to his success with club and country, as well as the guidance of his managers, Hansi Flick and Luis de la Fuente, he has persevered.
There does remain a worry about minute management and the concern that perhaps these young stars are being worn down. Let’s remember, it was in this World Cup that Yamal had only just returned to full fitness as his first full match was in the round of 16 against Portugal. And since then, he hasn’t looked back.
On Sunday, when he enters the pitch in New Jersey, he will become the third-youngest men’s player to enter a World Cup final behind Pelé and the Italian Giuseppe Bergomi.
Then there’s Lionel Messi, who, at 39, is looking to once again turn back time and deliver another majestic performance in the final and help his Argentina — the two-consecutive Copa América winner and defending World Cup champion — do something only two other national teams have done before: win back-to-back World Cup trophies.
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And his departure from Barcelona also helped Argentina because, after PSG, winning the World Cup in 2022 was a sign of resilience and fortitude. But it was also about reflection.
So his arrival to Inter Miami six months later gave him something that can’t be measured in transfer or contract fees. It gave him his happiness.
“I have never seen you happier,” I told him the night before the Leagues Cup final, which would become Inter Miami’s first ever trophy. “It’s true,” he smiled back. “Not just because of results on the pitch but because of our everyday lifestyle, with my wife, my kids and the way we spend our time.”
Yes, we would have to be fools to not realize that his move to MLS was financially monumental in every way, but it was also about his everyday life and his acceptance of peace after leaving PSG. Messi, once again, was happy. Calm.
And I think this allowed him to continue playing, and eventually win MLS Cup, but also to create an even stronger relationship with Argentina, the players, Lionel Scaloni and its community. Miami, you see, and the South Florida region, is home to the largest Argentinian diaspora in America. Messi is practically in Rosario without actually being there. His people are there. Argentina’s federation even has a base in Miami, with a complex and offices, and works closely with Inter Miami for Messi’s preparations prior to major matches and tournaments with the national team.
So playing in America throughout this World Cup has truly served Messi and Argentina. If this is his last dance, it is being played to a beautiful tango of Argentinian warmth.
(Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Argentina has benefited from Messi’s happiness as he also enters the final with a chance to secure the Golden Boot, also depending on what Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane do, or don’t, on Saturday.
So I guess what I am trying to say is that when it comes to Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain, this fixture is a result of fate, decisions thrown against Barcelona’s will, which consequently created a narrative that we have now. The Catalan club very much plays a role in this final.
And I haven’t even mentioned the iconic 2007, viral photo by freelance photographer Joan Monfort.
To conclude this sentiment, let’s leave it with this: Messi left Barcelona in 2021, but his departure caused a ripple-effect of trajectories, one where many players, most notably Lamine Yamal, benefited tremendously.
And, after a short stint in Paris, it also allowed Leo to move to a place he could truly love in the final years of his career. In a cosmically intriguing way, they both owe each other a sense of gratitude — but it all begins at the place where both learned their trait: La Masia.
Barcelona, therefore, may be very far away from East Rutherford, New Jersey, but in spirit and narrative, it is very much a protagonist for Sunday’s World Cup final.
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