2023 Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi dismisses Barcelona farewell game talks

2023 Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has taken to social media to reject claims that he has agreed to hold talks with Barcelona president Joan Laporta over a farewell game with the Catalan club. The Inter Miami playmaker spent 17 seasons with La Blaugrana before leaving under something of a cloud for Paris Saint-German in 2021.

The 36-year-old, who is both Barça’s record goalscorer and appearance-maker, was full of praise for his former club as he took part in a media press conference at the Châtelet Theatre in Paris on Monday.

Messi: “Barcelona is the club I will love all my life”

“I follow Barcelona, as I always said and I will continue to do so, it’s the club I will love for my entire life,” was perhaps the stand-out phrase from Messi’s tribute to Barça, with whom he won his first seven Ballon d’Or (the last of those also coming after just over three months at PSG).

It had been reported on social media that the Argentine and Laporta had spoken to one another following Monday’s gala and that the Barcelona president had thanked Messi for his kind words about his club. It was claimed they had also mutually agreed to find the best date possible for a farewell game, which Messi bluntly denied on Instagram: “you’re lying…once again”.

Why did Messi leave Barcelona?

Much has been made of the fact that Messi was never given the opportunity to “properly” say goodbye to Barcelona supporters after being forced out the door in the summer of 2021. The club’s well-documented financial issues meant they were unable to offer their talisman a new contract, and he left for PSG against his wishes.

When and were would a Messi tribute game take place?

Sporting director Deco recently revealed Barça were hoping to play a tribute game for Messi but suggested it would only take place once Camp Nou had been redeveloped and the Argentina captain had retired. It seems we’ll have to wait a little while longer.