Lionel Messi addresses Kylian Mbappe relationship and outlines Barca return plan

Lionel Messi has spoken of his desire to return to Barcelona after his retirement from playing and wants an opportunity to say goodbye properly to the club's fans.

The Argentine superstar stunned football in 2021 when it was announced that he would be leaving the Camp Nou, where he had spent the entirety of his professional career. He went on to spend two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain before joining Inter Miami in MLS this summer.

Messi was named as Ballon d'Or winner on Monday night for the eighth time in his career. He finished top of the standings following his World Cup heroics last year in Qatar, where he led Argentina to be crowned world champions – completing his trophy set.

The star then spoke after the event about his relationship with Barcelona, and his intentions of returning to the city to live and once again work with the club, albeit in a non-playing capacity. He also reiterated his desire to say a proper farewell to Barca’s fans.

Messi said on Monday evening after winning the award: "Of course, I still follow Barcelona. I have always been a fan and I am going to continue being one. I love them and I am going to love them all my life. They have a very good mix of young and veterans."

The Argentine added, on Barca's current situation this campaign: "Many things can happen in a season, but Barcelona are prepared to fight for the Champions League trophy. Although you can't put the pressure of being a favourite. I imagine how the people in Barcelona must be after losing El Clasico. Losing to Real Madrid is really tough. I know how the press and the fans will be."

Turning back to his own future after his playing career, he added: "Being a coach is something that catches my attention, but everything can change. I am going to live in Barcelona and of course one day I hope to work with the club. They are the ones who gave me everything.

"I don't know how long I have left to play, but I want to continue enjoying it while I can. I am going to live in Barcelona and I will be linked in some way or another with the club. I would love to be able to say goodbye to the fans in another way. I left the club with a strange feeling and it is not a good thing with everything that I gave to the club and the club to me. I deserve to be able to say goodbye to the people with whom I shared so many joys and sorrows."

Messi then spoke briefly of his time in Paris and his relationship with Kylian Mbappe, whom he pipped to the World Cup trophy last year: "I don't think the people at PSG care too much about seeing me with the Ballon d'Or. I have greeted Kylian this evening. We had a normal relationship."