On October 8, Barcelona correspondent for The Athletic Pol Ballús reported that there have been extensive internal discussions at the club about organizing a farewell match for Messi.

At the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, Lionel Messi was surrounded by more than 85,000 fans and dozens of tearful teammates as he delivered a 10-minute speech on the pitch that moved the entire football world.

For the 39-year-old Messi, it was a fitting farewell and his 208th and final appearance for Argentina's national team. Early Wednesday morning, many Barcelona fans across Europe stayed up to watch their hero receive the proper goodbye.

Growing up, Messi came through Barcelona's La Masia academy, and after his emergence at Barcelona, many Barcelona fans suddenly became supporters of Argentina's national team.

During Messi's peak years at Barcelona, some in Argentina criticized him for failing to replicate his club success with the national team.

Barcelona fans shared the same disappointment and frustration with Messi when he wore Argentina's blue and white jersey. In recent years, they have also celebrated his international success. On December 18, 2022, more than 10,000 fans gathered at Barcelona's Arc de Triomf, one of the city's iconic landmarks, to celebrate Argentina's World Cup victory in Qatar, led by Messi.

Five years have passed since Messi's tearful departure from Barcelona, yet at the club where he has his deepest roots, fans have not been able to say goodbye to him in the way Argentina's fans did.

Here's why—and how this situation might change in the future.

Why didn't Messi get a proper farewell at Barcelona?

The main reason is that his departure was simply too painful at the time.

Messi joined Barcelona at age 13, and from 2004 to 2021, he held the club's all-time records for appearances (778) and goals (672). However, he left Barcelona during the pandemic, when the club faced severe financial difficulties. In August 2021, he announced his departure in tears at a press conference rather than saying goodbye to fans on the Camp Nou pitch.

This also highlighted that Messi actually did not want to leave Barcelona. Club president Laporta stated that because the club's debt exceeded 1 billion euros, it struggled to comply with La Liga's financial regulations, forcing Messi's departure. This incident also damaged Messi's relationship with club management, particularly with Laporta.

Pandemic restrictions also prevented fans from giving Messi a proper tribute at the stadium. Moreover, at that time, Messi had not retired from professional football—he later joined Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent.

Have there been discussions about organizing a farewell match over the years?

Yes—and quite extensive ones.

For a long time, Barcelona fans felt they never had the chance to express their love for Messi or say a proper goodbye to the club legend. Messi has played for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer since 2023.

This has become a political issue. This year, during Laporta's successful reelection campaign as Barcelona president, he was frequently asked how he intended to repair his relationship with Messi and when a proper tribute could be arranged for the Argentine player.

Laporta stated that Messi deserves a farewell match at Camp Nou and said he hopes to erect a statue of Messi outside the stadium. "This would be very significant—currently, only Johan Cruyff and Ladislao Kubala have statues around the stadium," Laporta said after winning the election in March.

Messi has not responded to Laporta's statue proposal and has not shown willingness to repair his relationship with the president who was in office when he left Barcelona.

Instead, last November, Messi appeared at Camp Nou, which was undergoing major renovations, late at night without notifying club officials, surprising everyone at the club.

Messi was allowed into the stadium and took some photos, which he later posted on social media.

"I'm back at a place I still miss so much," he wrote in the caption. "Here, I was so happy, and you made me feel like the happiest person in the world. I hope to return one day, not just as a player, to say goodbye in a way I was never able to before."

What is the main obstacle to organizing a farewell match?

It's his relationship with Laporta.

The tension between them has persisted since Messi's departure. In the summer of 2023—just before he decided to move to Miami—Messi's representatives and Barcelona discussed the possibility of his return on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. His father, Jorge, was seen meeting with Laporta in Barcelona, but the seemingly fairytale transfer ultimately fell through.

"I really wanted to return, but after everything that happened in 2021, I didn't want to experience the same situation again," Messi said in an interview with Spanish newspapers Sport and Mundo Deportivo after officially joining Inter Miami.

"I didn't want to hand over my future to someone else. I heard that La Liga approved my return regarding Barcelona's spending capacity, but there are other unresolved issues. I heard they needed to sell players and free up salary space. I didn't want to go through that again, to be put in that situation again."

These words were clearly a veiled jab at Laporta and his board—the people who, years earlier, had to let Messi go due to financial difficulties. Just months after Messi's departure, Barcelona invested heavily in new players, such as Ferran Torres from Manchester City in January 2022 for an initial transfer fee of 55 million euros, which upset those close to Messi.

So, will he get a farewell match?

I think so.

Messi has expressed his desire to say goodbye to Barcelona fans, and Laporta has repeatedly stated that the club's doors are always open for the legendary striker whenever he feels the time is right.

"We have told Messi that we hope to honor him after the Camp Nou renovation is complete," Laporta said at the club's general assembly last month. Barcelona plans for the renovated stadium, which has experienced some delays, to be fully complete before the 2028-29 season begins.

"We will only do this if he is willing," Laporta added. "In 2023, Messi had the chance to return for one season, but he decided to take on another challenge. We would be delighted to give him a proper tribute, and I hope to meet with him soon."

This will require both sides to set aside past differences for a greater purpose. After winning Barcelona's election, Laporta's term as president is expected to last until 2031. Under club statutes, he cannot run for reelection.

All of this will also depend on Messi's other circumstances, including whether he will continue his career at Inter Miami. In October 2025, the club announced an extension of his contract through 2028.

Meanwhile, Messi has recently ventured into club ownership, acquiring stakes in two Spanish clubs: Cornellà, which plays in the fifth division, and Eldense, which competes in the second division.

The Eldense acquisition is still awaiting approval from Spain's Higher Sports Council, but Messi appears to be planning for life after retirement.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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