Barca are considering Camp Nou as a statue for Messi after his emotional stadium visit

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said on Thursday that the club is working on plans to erect a statue of Lionel Messi outside the newly renovated Camp Nou, as the Catalan side prepares a formal tribute to the record goalscorer following his recent visit to the stadium.

The 38-year-old Messi returned to Barcelona on Sunday to tour the renovated grounds for the first time since his departure in 2021. He later posted on Instagram that he hoped to “return one day, and not just retire as a player,” a comment that fueled predictable speculation despite there being no concrete path to a comeback as a player.

Laporta said at a book launch in the city that the board had discussed a permanent tribute to the Argentina World Cup winner, but stressed that the plan still requires the family’s approval.

«Messi will always be associated with Barcelona and he knows the doors are open for him. We have absolute respect for him. He deserves the best tribute,» said Laporta. «He should have a statue at the Spotify Camp Nou, just like Cruyff and Kubala. He is one of those iconic players who left their mark on us. We discussed it in a meeting and are working on it. The family must agree, and all Barca fans would want it.»

Laporta has previously dismissed suggestions that Messi would return as a player, calling the idea unrealistic given the forward’s new contract with MLS club Inter Miami.

Messi, who joined Barcelona’s youth academy at the age of 13, scored 672 goals in 778 appearances and helped win 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions League crowns and three Club World Cups in his 21 years at the club.

The Camp Nou, which was closed for almost 900 days for renovations, reopened on Friday with an open training session attended by more than 20,000 fans. Laporta said the club aims to organize “the most beautiful tribute in the world” once the project is completed, although no timeline has been set.

Published on November 14, 2025