The figure of Lionel Messi is once again at the center of debate in Barcelona. This time, not because of his sporting future or a possible return, but due to a symbolic project pushed by president Joan Laporta: erecting a statue of the Argentine star at the renovated Spotify Camp Nou. The proposal has already been discussed within the board of directors, which is aligned behind the idea. However, one key step remains: approval from the Messi family.

Laporta revealed the intention during the presentation of the book Jo vaig viure a la Masia by Xavi Torres, where he did not hold back on praise for Barça’s historic No. 10. “Messi should have a statue at the Camp Nou, just like Kubala or Cruyff,” he stated, making it clear that the club wants to honor the most influential player in its history. “We’ve talked about it. The family has to agree, and the fans want it. When the time comes, we will propose it,” the president added.

A Visit That Rekindled Tensions and Sparked Political Interpretations

Leo Messi’s recent appearance at the Spotify Camp Nou intensified the discussion even further. The Argentine posted a photo on Instagram expressing his desire to “come back home,” a gesture that shook the Barça ecosystem and, for some, carried an uncomfortable interpretation: Messi did not inform the club before visiting.

Laporta, however, tried to defuse the controversy by calling the visit “spontaneous” and a display of the player’s emotional bond with Barcelona. The board insists that the relationship with Messi is cordial, although people close to the footballer claim that contact with Laporta is almost nonexistent.

The context matters: the club will hold presidential elections in 2026, and Messi’s symbolic weight is enormous. Víctor Font, one of the main candidates, maintains ongoing contact with the former Barça star, and any institutional gesture toward Messi can carry strategic implications.

An Honor That Divides Feelings and Raises Suspicions

Messi’s 2021 departure still stings. His move to Paris Saint-Germain was the direct result of the club’s inability to take on his contract, an episode that left emotional wounds among fans and within parts of the board. One of the recurring criticisms of Laporta has been his campaign promise to keep Messi, something that ultimately did not happen.

In this context, the idea of a statue at the Camp Nou stirs mixed emotions. For many Barça fans, it is a deserved tribute to the greatest player in the club’s history. For others, it looks like a political maneuver at a decisive moment.

What’s undeniable is that Lionel Messi’s legacy remains untouchable among supporters. And now, the big question is whether his figure will be immortalized in the stadium that defined his career… and whether this gesture is genuine or a perfectly calculated electoral move.