Messi's blunt reply to rumours of Thiago leaving Inter Miami for La Masia | OneFootball

After the rumors that emerged around the Argentina national team following the World Cup final, Lionel Messi once again found himself caught up in a new wave of speculation. This time, it was not about his future, but his son Thiago’s. Within hours, social media had all but established as fact that the eldest son of the Argentine captain would leave Inter Miami’s youth ranks to travel to Europe and join La Masía, Barcelona’s academy. But Leo himself made sure to shut the story down immediately with a denial that was as brief as it was forceful.

As Inter Miami arrived at Nu Stadium, where this Wednesday he made his Leagues Cup debut against Atlético San Luis with a first-half brace, the Argentine captain was approached by journalist Bruno Vain. There, all smiles alongside Rodrigo De Paul, the reporter got straight to the point: “Is Thiaguito leaving?” he asked. Messi, apparently already aware of the rumors making the rounds, kept the relaxed tone and answered with a simple “no.” That single word was enough to shut down a rumor that had even gone so far as to claim Thiago would supposedly arrive in Barcelona in November.

In this way, Thiago, who is now 13 years old and has played since 2023 in Inter Miami’s youth divisions, where he mainly plays as a midfielder, will continue his development in the United States alongside his family. In any case, the speculation had not appeared out of nowhere. Although there was never any official confirmation, there were several elements fueling the theory among those who love speculation and signs of destiny.

The first was symbolic. Thiago is just three months away from reaching the same age at which Lionel left Rosario to settle in Catalonia and begin the journey that gave rise to the legend. The second had to do with regulations. In Spain, from the age of 14, youth players are considered federated, a stage that usually marks important decisions about young players’ sporting futures and which, according to the rumors, could open the door to a possible move to La Masía.

In addition, Thiago is no stranger to Barcelona’s structure. During his father’s time at the club, he spent time at the Barça Escola, where he took his first steps between 2016 and 2019, before moving to the United States after Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami, following a brief earlier spell in Paris Saint-Germain’s academy. That background, together with the strong bond the family maintains with the Catalan city, ended up fueling a story that spread quickly despite having no official backing.

However, Messi’s word was enough to put an end to a story that lasted less than 24 hours. And once the matter was settled, Leo once again expressed himself where he does it best: on the pitch. In his first start after the 2026 World Cup, he scored two goals, provided an assist, and led Inter Miami’s comeback against Atlético San Luis to begin the Leagues Cup campaign with yet another decisive performance.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.