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Barcelona Election Drama Intensifies as Victor Font Vows to Call Lionel Messi First if Elected

Barcelona’s 2026 presidential race has taken a dramatic turn after Victor Font publicly committed to making Lionel Messi his very first phone call should he defeat incumbent Joan Laporta. The promise adds a new emotional layer to an already heated campaign, especially for supporters who continue to dream of seeing the club’s greatest icon return to the Camp Nou in an official capacity.

Messi’s legacy in Barcelona remains unmatched in modern football. Emerging from La Masia in 2004, the Argentine evolved from a precocious teenager into the heartbeat of a golden era, redefining what an attacking player could be under Pep Guardiola’s innovative system. His time at the club yielded astronomical numbers: 672 goals, 302 assists, 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League crowns, and seven Ballon d'Or awards, all achieved before leaving in 2021 amid financial turmoil.

His departure to Paris Saint-Germain marked the end of a 17-year chapter that shaped a generation of fans. From France, Messi transitioned to MLS in 2023 with Inter Miami, where he has since extended his contract through 2028. Yet emotional ties with Barcelona never faded. His recent visit to the Camp Nou—and his public message expressing the desire to return “not just to say goodbye, but to play one last time”—rekindled hopes of a farewell worthy of his legacy.

It was during that surge of sentiment that Victor Font, speaking to Mundo Deportivo, promised that re-establishing contact with Messi would be his top priority as club president.

“As a Barcelona supporter, it gives me goosebumps,” Font said. “But this depends on Messi, and what the club must avoid is exploiting him for political gains. I believe Laporta has already done that, and history shows it was wrong. If I win the election, the first call I place will be to Leo Messi.”

Font’s criticism of Laporta extends beyond issues of sentiment. The challenger accuses the current board of obscuring €80 million in losses, mishandling financial strategy, and lacking transparency in awarding the Camp Nou renovation project to Turkish construction giant Limak. The debate signals what could become one of the most contentious elections in Barcelona’s history.

The Messi issue remains especially sensitive. During the 2021 campaign, Laporta’s most powerful promise was to secure Messi’s contract renewal—a pledge he failed to deliver as the club’s financial collapse forced a heartbreaking separation. Former director Xavier Vilajoana went so far as to accuse Laporta of “lying” to fans during that period.

Font insists that Messi’s influence deserves far more than symbolic gestures.
“We must embrace Messi and create the conditions for him to return in the role he desires,” he said. “A statue is nowhere near enough to honor what he represents for this club.”

As the election approaches, the question is no longer whether Messi will play again for Barcelona, but whether the next president will be able—or willing—to bring him home in any capacity.

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