The FC Barcelona presidential race is heating up, and with it comes the revival of old wounds, new ambitions, and one name that always gravitates to the center: Lionel Messi. Among the candidates, Víctor Font has decided to place the Argentine icon at the heart of his project — and his vision goes far beyond simple symbolic tributes.

Messi As A Key Piece Of Barça’s Future

During the presentation of his candidacy, Font didn’t hold back when discussing Messi’s importance in shaping a new era for the club.

“We have to embrace Leo Messi and do everything possible so he can have the role at Barça that he wants to have. Putting up a statue falls way too short,” he said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo.

Font previously ran against Joan Laporta in the last elections, during a chaotic institutional moment in which Messi’s continuity became the decisive card for Laporta’s victory. Now, four years later, Font insists that the club must repair and rebuild that relationship.

A Possible “Last Dance” At The Camp Nou?

Font didn’t dodge the most delicate question: would he open the door to a temporary return for Messi?

“Would I like a Last Dance? Goosebumps. But it depends on him. What we must not do is use him,” he stated.

According to Font, Barça should be prepared to welcome Messi if he ever decides to play official minutes at the renovated Spotify Camp Nou, without turning his presence into a political tool. It was a direct jab at Laporta, whom he accused of using Messi’s image “many times” and “in the wrong way.”

Font also revealed what his first move as president would be.

“The first thing I will do if I win is call him. It will be my first phone call.”

For the candidate, Messi should once again feel like part of the club — not only as a legend, but as an active figure in Barça’s sporting and institutional reconstruction.

An Election Defined By Open Wounds

Messi, for his part, remains far from the political battle. He won’t endorse any candidate, yet his presence looms over every debate: finances, leadership, public image, and the long-term sporting model all inevitably circle back to him.

If Víctor Font manages to defeat Laporta, he promises that Messi will have the doors of the club wide open — not just for tributes, but for a real, defined role in Barcelona’s future.

Because for Font, Messi deserves far more than a statue.
He deserves a central place in the Barça of tomorrow.