Barcelona president Joan Laporta has stated that Lionel Messi deserves a statue at the club and a tribute match, comparing the Argentine legend to former icons Ladislao Kubala and Johan Cruyff. The comments were made during Laporta’s visit to Girona on February 18, 2026, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
Laporta expressed strong support for honoring Messi’s legacy at Barcelona, where the player spent the majority of his career before departing in 2021. He said:
“Like Kubala and Cruyff, I believe Messi deserves a statue, and we should also arrange a tribute match, which we are open to doing whenever they want… I think a statue and a tribute are what he deserves. He has a contract where he is until 2028, and that would be ideal.”
Laporta also reaffirmed the club’s long-term commitment to its youth academy, La Masia, describing it as the central pillar of Barcelona’s identity and sustainability:
“We will continue to focus on La Masia; it is the central axis of our sporting project… La Masia will remain the cornerstone of our sporting project because it makes the club sustainable both economically and competitively.”
The remarks come amid ongoing discussions about Messi’s future ties to Barcelona, including potential formal tributes following his contributions that helped define the club’s modern era.
Laporta’s comments also touched on broader club matters, such as maintaining affordable season ticket prices and negotiating with La Liga for adjusted match kick-off times between June and September to minimize disruptions related to the ongoing Camp Nou renovations and temporary use of Montjuïc.
No specific timeline or details for the statue or tribute match were provided beyond the open invitation for whenever Messi and his representatives are ready.