FC Barcelona legend Lionel Messi said that he misses the club's fans, known as 'Culers', and revealed which two icons there marked him the most during an interview with Mundo Deportivo.
Messi joined Barca as a 13-year-old in 2000 and progressed through its famed La Masia academy to become arguably the greatest player ever seen in soccer.
Unfortunately, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner had to bid a tearful farewell to the club in 2021 when President Joan Laporta failed to deliver on an election promise and renew his contract.
Fleeing to Paris Saint-Germain and now plying his trade at Inter Miami, Messi was asked what message he would send to Catalans by MD and answered: "That I miss them very much, that I hope we can see each other again soon and that they [should] feel proud to be part of the best club in the world."
With Barca battling an economic crisis and only managing one La Liga title since 2019, Messi said that "hopefully the club can go back to what it always was".
"In addition to a world reference, which it never stopped being so, that is always fighting to win titles until the end of each season.
"As a Barca player, you can never settle for being second or not winning, because the members and the fans demand the most from you. Being the best club in the world entails a very high demand. I would love to see Barca win La Liga, the Copa del Rey and also the Champions League again. And in the years that it is not possible, at least compete until the last moment."
As for the fellow legends that marked his time at Camp Nou the most, Messi first chose his former manager Pep Guardiola, "because I had him as a coach for many years and we achieved incredible things that we would never have imagined".
A teammate was Ronaldinho, "because of the way he received me, how he helped me, and how helped me a lot in my first moments in the first team".
"I also remember Andres (Iniesta) or Xavi as teammates, and the three who play with me here in Miami (Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez), who are also friends. And of course, a special mention for Tito Vilanova, whom we miss so much," Messi concluded on this topic, in a reference to the former manager that passed away in 2014 aged just 45.