Rosario (Argentina) (AFP)

Rosario, the hometown of Lionel Messi, learned with sadness the decision on Friday of the Argentine star to stay at FC Barcelona.

But the fans who refused to dream of an immediate return do not despair of seeing the child prodigy return one day.

Just a week ago, hundreds of fans of Newell's Old Boys, the club in which "La Pulga" started as a child, organized a caravan of colorful and loud vehicles to pray for Messi's return to Rosario, under the slogan : "your dream, our illusion".

Since rumors of FC Barcelona's departure, Argentina's third largest city has been roaring with untold dreams, panting for the future of local glory.

“No one in their right mind could have thought he could come back now. I'm from Rosario, a Newell's fan, and can't wait to see him come back, but for now these are just fantasies,” said to AFP Diego Schwarzstein, the endocrinologist who treated Messi as a child.

"So I can't be disappointed not to see him come back now, because it was just unrealistic to think so. But if he stops his career without going through Newell's, then I'll be enormously frustrated," he said. he adds.

Messi left at the age of 13 the red and black club of Rosario who wanted to keep him.

His family emigrated to Spain because the Catalan club notably guaranteed him medical treatment to complete his teenage growth.

"Whenever it comes to contract renewal, all the fans raise their hopes, even if everyone knows that the only market for him is Europe," said Radio Universidad journalist Lisandro. Leoni.

"But we also know that he is a fan of this club, which is why we do not lose hope that he will wear this jersey one day, if only for one season."

- "We like it" -

"We all hope that Leo will one day wear Newell's jersey," said Roberto Mensi, a member of the group that organized the fan caravan.

"It was a gesture of affection to let him know that we love him and that our door will always be open to him," he says.

No leader or player of the Newell's Old Boys, breeding ground for great figures of Argentine football, such as Marcelo Bielsa, Gerardo Martino or Mauricio Pochetino, has spoken publicly on the subject.

In Rosario, we want to respect the private life of Lionel Messi, who returns every end of the year to the city 300 km northeast of Buenos Aires to spend the holidays with his family and that of his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo. .

"La Pulga" has always said he would like to return to the Rosario club which gave him a taste for competitive football and of which he officially declared himself a supporter.

It was in his city that he celebrated his wedding in 2017 with his lifelong companion, surrounded by several stars of FC Barcelona.

A few weeks ago, he donated 50 artificial respirators to several hospitals in the city where he has several residences and even an iconic bar.

Messi also kept his childhood home, a modest property located in a middle-class neighborhood of Rosario.

Signs that suggest that the Argentine star will one day return to Rosario.

Newell's Old Boys fans are hoping it will be before he retires from sports.

© 2020 AFP