Victor Font’s Barcelona Bid: Messi Return, Honorary Presidency & Farewell Plan

The upcoming Barcelona presidential election is heating up, and Victor Font is making a familiar pitch. Five years after a previous bid, Font is once again centering his campaign around Lionel Messi, promising to engineer a triumphant return for the Argentine superstar and provide him with the farewell he never received.

Font, leader of the “Nosaltres” platform, detailed his “Messi project” earlier this week, asserting that the idea wasn’t a last-minute tactic but a plan developed as early as 2022. He claims to have already presented his vision to the Messi family. The core of the proposal revolves around a three-pronged approach, aiming to integrate Messi back into the club not just as a player, but as an institutional figure and a commercial powerhouse.

“This that we are telling you today began in 2022,” Font stated. “That’s when we started working on this project with three pillars. In mid-2023, we presented our idea and our proposals to the Messi family.”

A key component of Font’s plan is to bestow upon Messi the title of Honorary President of FC Barcelona. He argues that Messi embodies the values of the club and its fanbase. “Leo’s values reflect what we culers are like. Committed, a leader, honest, and someone who loves Barça very much. He is the most well-known face of Barça-ism,” Font explained.

However, the most emotionally resonant aspect of Font’s proposal is the promise of a proper farewell. Messi’s departure from Barcelona in 2021 was widely considered heartbreaking, a consequence of the club’s financial struggles. Font wants to rectify that, envisioning a scenario where Messi can say goodbye to the fans on the pitch at Spotify Camp Nou.

“I propose that he be able to say goodbye wearing shorts at Spotify Camp Nou after the World Cup to receive the tribute he deserves,” Font said. “Leo Messi cannot say goodbye to Barça with a photo and all his trophies behind him. He must say goodbye on the pitch, playing, which is how he moved us.”

Font didn’t shy away from directly criticizing current president Joan Laporta, claiming that a Messi return is simply impossible under his leadership. “The culers must be clear that this will never happen if Joan Laporta wins these elections and returns to run the club,” he stated.

Beyond the symbolic and emotional aspects, Font also outlined a commercial strategy, suggesting a partnership between the Messi brand and FC Barcelona, drawing a parallel to the successful relationship between Michael Jordan, and Nike. “On the commercial side, I propose combining the Messi brand with the Barça brand, which would give us enormous economic potential, in the purest Jordan and Nike style,” he added.

Font also leveled accusations against Laporta regarding Messi’s previous attempts to return to the club. “I remember that Laporta deceived Messi twice. In 2021 and in 2023. Twice! Reason enough to stop serving as president of Barça,” he asserted.

The candidate further contrasted his approach with what he perceives as Laporta’s priorities, claiming that the current administration has prioritized relations with Real Madrid over maintaining a connection with its greatest player. “We did not break relations with Florentino. We broke them with Messi. It is extremely serious,” Font said. “The official narrative tells us that we defend Barça and that we break relations with Madrid, and the reality is that they win matches thanks to the CTA while we remain distanced from Messi, as well as from other legends.”

While Font’s vision is ambitious, its feasibility remains uncertain. Messi currently plays for Inter Miami and his future plans are unclear. However, Font is betting that the enduring emotional connection between Messi and Barcelona fans will be enough to propel him to victory in the upcoming election. The question remains whether voters will embrace a campaign so heavily reliant on a single player, even one as iconic as Lionel Messi.

Sources close to Messi, however, have indicated that the player is not actively involved in the election campaign, according to reports from AS USA and YSscores.com. This suggests that while Font’s proposal is aimed at attracting Messi, it is not a collaborative effort.