Lionel Messi hopes to play in Argentina before career ends

Lionel Messi will make a spectacular return to play in his homeland once his days in Europe are complete.

The Barcelona star revealed his desire to play in Argentina once again before the curtain falls on his illustrious career.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who played for Newell's Old Boys before Barca lured him away from Argentina in 2001, has not set a date for his possible return, but insisted it's a move that interests him before hanging his boots up for good.

"It's something that I would still like to do. I don't know when, but it's a possibility," Messi admitted to Argentinian magazine El Grafico, with translation from the Press Association.

"I haven't set myself any goals, short or long term, but I'd like to keep playing whilst my body allows it and I have something to offer the team. When I know that it's time, I'll make a decision."

One goal Messi would like to see come to fruition is winning a title at the international level, an accomplishment he came agonizingly close to achieving until Germany beat Argentina during the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil.

"I prefer to win something with the national team," he said. "I am not interested in records. They are there, but that does not make you win titles.

"I get upset whenever we lose with Argentina because I know that we should have won. We did enough to win the World Cup and the Copa America."