With Barcelona’s presidential race approaching, Lionel Messi’s name has surfaced again.
Victor Fon, leader of the Nosaltres platform, proposed that Messi finish his playing career wearing a Barcelona shirt and say goodbye to the fans on the pitch.
He stated that this depends on Messi’s own will and situation at the end of his career, after the World Cup and the MLS season conclude in 2026. For a proper farewell, the club’s leadership must differ from the current president, Joan Laporta.
The idea began in 2022 when Messi was still at Paris Saint-Germain. Fon says he presented the proposal to Messi’s family, who reacted positively.
Beyond a potential farewell on the field, Fon wants to grant Messi the title of Honorary President, a lifetime position requiring approval by the club assembly after a statute reform. Only Johan Cruyff has held this title before.
Fon believes Messi represents the club’s values and that his lifelong association with Barcelona could strengthen the institution and generate new revenue, noting Messi accounted for about 20% of the club’s income during his time at Camp Nou.
A strategic partnership with his current club, Inter Miami, is also being studied due to potential synergies.
Fon criticizes the current board for handling Messi’s departure, calling it one of its worst decisions and claiming that the main obstacle to Messi’s return is Joan Laporta.
