Mundo Deportivo Clarifies: Messi Will Not Endorse Any Candidate for Barça President!

On November 1, Spanish outlet ABC reported that Lionel Messi was allegedly planning to intervene in next year’s Barcelona presidential election as a way to “retaliate” against current club president Joan Laporta’s camp. Some journalists even claimed to have their own sources supporting this narrative, giving the rumor an air of credibility.

However, it didn’t take long for another Spanish media outlet—Mundo Deportivo, a publication known to be close to Barça—to step in and deny the report. Chief editor Albert Masnou firmly clarified that the possibility of Messi actively supporting any presidential candidate is zero. According to Masnou, if Messi’s name comes up in the election context at all, it would only be because a candidate tried to reach out and persuade him for endorsement. But as of now, no candidate maintains a relationship with Messi close enough to make that scenario realistic. In short, Messi has taken no action and will absolutely not initiate contact with any of the potential presidential contenders.

This clarification perfectly aligns with Messi’s lifelong approach to both football and life. Throughout his illustrious career, Messi has remained laser-focused on the game itself—dedicated to training, performing, and letting his feet do the talking—while keeping a deliberate distance from the politics and power struggles that often swirl around football clubs. In his world, the beauty of the sport has always outweighed any form of boardroom maneuvering.

Even in the turbulent summer of 2021, when Laporta’s last-minute reversal shattered the promise of a contract renewal, Messi’s reaction was one of honest disappointment rather than political retaliation. He chose integrity and restraint over bitterness and division.

In reality, as Masnou pointed out, the only plausible scenario would be one where various candidates attempt to approach Messi, hoping to gain his symbolic blessing. Yet even in such cases, Messi’s decisions—if he ever makes any—would stem purely from his love for Barcelona and his belief in professional sporting vision, not from political favoritism. His immense influence comes from his footballing greatness and personal integrity, not from any calculated play within the corridors of power.