Where are they now? Barcelona’s XI from the MSN trio’s last game together in 2017
Neymar is considering a sensational reunion with his old Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Inter Miami, according to reports.
The Brazilian is out of contract at Al Hilal at the end of the season and looks set to depart after two injury-ravaged years. It’s nearly 10 years since the famous ‘MSN’ trident fired Barcelona to the 2014-15 treble and eight since they last lined up alongside one another.
But what’s become of the rest of that team? We’ve gone back and revisited the last Barcelona XI of the Messi-Neymar-Suarez era, a 3-2 International Champions Cup victory over Real Madrid… fittingly enough at the Hard Rock Stadium out in Miami, Florida.
GK: Jasper Cillessen
The former Netherlands No.1 spent three years at Barcelona but this was a rare outing for him as he played second fiddle to Marc Andre ter Stegen.
Cillessen left Barcelona in 2019 and joined Valencia for a mammoth €35million fee. He struggled to justify the outlay and departed at a considerable loss to NEC Breda.
Nowadays the 35-year-old veteran is back in Spain, serving between the sticks at Las Palmas.
RB: Aleix Vidal
Barcelona made a number of questionable signings during Josep Maria Bartomeu’s presidency, and while Vidal was by no means one of the worst, he was by no means a great success.
The one-cap Spain international never proved himself a worthy successor to Dani Alves and struggled to make it beyond the periphery at the Camp Nou, finding himself behind homegrown utility man Sergi Roberto in the pecking order.
Vidal returned to Sevilla in 2018 but was less successful the second time around. He never officially announced his retirement but it’s safe to assume he’s out of the game, having been without a club since he was released by Espanyol following their relegation in 2023.
CB: Gerard Pique
The centre-back’s infamous ‘se queda’ (“he stays”) tweet, accompanied by a picture alongside Neymar became a meme after the Brazilian’s earth-shattering move to PSG was confirmed less than a fortnight later.
“At [Lionel] Messi’s wedding, Neymar already had this idea that he would leave,” Pique later explained.
“The day that I posted the ‘se queda’ tweet, I already knew that he was 100 per cent leaving, but it was my final shot.
“He was annoyed at me. I’m sure he had his reasons.
“In the end, we cannot judge him as he has taken a brave decision. He performed really well for us and has now left money in the bank, while we remember him fondly.”
Pique remained at Barcelona until he hung up his boots, having announced his retirement midway through the title-winning 2022-23 campaign.
The 37-year-old has been talked up as a future Barcelona president, but in the meantime he’s keeping himself busy with a number of sports-related business ventures.
CB: Samuel Umtiti
At this point, Umtiti was still considered among the best young centre-backs in world football. He went on to enjoy his best season at Barcelona in 2017-18, playing a key role in their La Liga title victory, and went on to shine for France as they lifted the World Cup in Russia.
Unfortunately, playing through injuries took its toll for Umtiti and his soon body broke down. He remained at Barcelona until 2021 but spent his latter years on the treatment table, while a loan to Lecce in 2022-23 briefly rekindled his career.
Umtiti, 31, is currently back in France with Lille but it’s unfortunately a familiar story. He made just two starts last term and is yet to play a minute of competitive action in 2024-25.
LB: Jordi Alba
After 11 years and over 400 appearances, Alba waved goodbye to his boyhood club in 2023 with a sixth La Liga trophy in tow. That summer he retired from international duty after captaining Spain to the Nations League.
Nowadays, of course, he’s turning out alongside a couple of his old pals at Inter Miami. The 35-year-old originally joined on an 18-month deal back in 2023, but the MLS outfit have unsurprisingly exercised their option to keep him at the club for the upcoming 2025 campaign.
READ: 7 former La Masia academy graduates currently thriving away from Barcelona in 2024-25
DM: Sergio Busquets
After captaining Barcelona to the 2022-23 La Liga title, the 32nd trophy he lifted with the club, Busquets rode off into the Miami sunset in search of a new challenge in his twilight years.
The era-defining midfielder remains under contract at Inter Miami for 2025 and looks set for one more MLS campaign with his Barca buddies.
CM: Andres Iniesta
“Please allow me to be a little emotional today …” the legendary midfielder began, announcing his retirement at a press conference back in October.
“I never thought this day would come. I never imagined it. Yes, all these tears we have shed these days are tears of emotion, of pride. They are not tears of sadness.
“They are tears of that boy from a small town like Fuentealbilla, who had the dream of being a footballer and we achieved it after a lot of hard work, sacrifice … of never giving up, essential values in my life. I feel very proud of this path, with all the people who have accompanied me.”
Iniesta, 40, left Barcelona back in 2018 but continued playing for another six years at Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe and UAE side Emirates FC. He’s hinted at a future in coaching in his post-playing career.
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CM: Ivan Rakitic
After spending his peak years winning everything there was to win with Barcelona, Rakitic made a romantic return to Sevilla in 2020… where he inevitably won another Europa League after winning one in his first stint.
The 36-year-old spent a brief half-season in the Saudi Pro League but quickly jumped ship and is now spending his twilight playing years in his motherland, turning out for Croatian side Hajduk Split.
FWR: Lionel Messi
Whatever happened to that guy?
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ST: Luis Suarez
After winning titles with Atletico Madrid, Gremio and his first club Nacional since controversially departing Barcelona in 2020, Suarez reunited with Messi and Inter Miami and fired them to the Supporters Shield last season with 20 goals in 27 MLS games.
Now that’s how to see out your career.
FWL: Neymar
The Brazilian’s move to PSG was interpreted by many as a bid to step out of Messi’s shadow and make a run at the Ballon d’Or.
When fit and available, Neymar was invariably outrageous for the Parisiens and he treated Ligue 1 as his playground. 118 goals and 77 assists in just 173 appearances are testament to that, even better numbers than he notched at Barcelona.
But ultimately he was unfit or unavailable too often come the defining latter-stage Champions League rounds, and his exploits in domestic French football flew under the radar.
His injury issues have only been exacerbated since he was sold to Al-Hilal, who have got just seven appearances to show for his €90million transfer and mammoth wages. Ouch.