Barcelona confirm plans to build Messi statue amid rumours of return
Karan Tejwani
- 10 Oct 2022 12:25 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona President Joan Laporta has confirmed his club’s plans to build a statue for Lionel Messi to celebrate the legendary forward’s playing career at the club.
Messi is widely regarded as the greatest Barcelona player of all time for his heroics for the club between 2004 until his departure in 2021 for Paris Saint-Germain.
The Argentine star has had a fine season with the French club this season, however, there are doubts over his future there as his contract there runs out at the end of the season.
Barcelona have been linked with making a move for Messi to ensure his return to the club and Laporta has made it one of the key objectives for his tenure at the club as President.
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Laporta confirms statue plans
Earlier this month, a report emerged that Laporta planned to build a statue to commemorate Messi’s achievements at the club and it was seen as a way to patch relations between club and player.
Messi left Barcelona in a sour manner as his contract had run out and the Blaugrana could not afford handing the Argentine a new deal, forcing him to sign with Paris Saint-Germain.
Later, in the club’s General Assembly on Sunday, Laporta confirmed the plans to go ahead with the statue and a decision had been made to get the process underway.
RT si crees que este penalti de Messi y Suárez es el mejor de #LaLigaHistory... 🇦🇷😉🇺🇾#BarçaCelta pic.twitter.com/1HtZgGOyS4
— LaLiga (@LaLiga) December 2, 2017
“Of course we will build Leo Messi a statue outside Camp Nou, right beside the Johan Cruyff one. The decision has been taken and we’re working on it,” Laporta confirmed at the Assembly.
Messi’s future is still unclear and it’s believed that he will decide where he’s going to play his football after the World Cup, as his focus is on this season and on the Argentine national team.
A statue at Barcelona is very well deserved: he scored 672 goals in 778 matches while also winning numerous titles and trophies at a team and individual level.
