Joan Laporta Congratulates Lionel Messi on 2026 Princess of Asturias Award
FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has sent Lionel Messi a heartfelt public message after the Argentine forward received the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports. The tribute celebrates Messi’s achievements on and off the pitch—and may also offer a fresh opportunity to ease the tension that has lingered between the player and his former club since his departure in 2021.
Messi made history by becoming the first footballer to receive the award individually. Laporta shared his congratulations in Catalan on X, describing the honour as richly deserved and highlighting the place Barcelona continues to hold in the story of Messi’s career.
Laporta’s message recalls a shared football legacy
“Leo, I congratulate you on receiving the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports for 2026, a well-deserved recognition of your footballing and personal achievements,” Laporta wrote. He added that Messi’s talent had helped make “FC Barcelona, the club of your life,” greater, in the past and in the present.
The Barcelona president closed by emphasizing the lasting connection between the player and the club: “Messi and Barcelona, Barcelona and Messi, a shared success story that all Barcelona fans are proud of and to which we wish continued good fortune.”
The words were warm, but their significance extends beyond a routine congratulatory note. Messi and Barcelona are linked through some of the most memorable chapters in modern football, including domestic titles, European triumphs and individual records. Laporta’s public recognition places that history back in the spotlight while acknowledging that Messi’s influence remains part of the club’s identity.
Barcelona describes Messi’s bond with the club as unbreakable
Laporta’s message followed an official statement from FC Barcelona, which praised Messi’s exceptional talent and the impact he made both on and off the field. The club said his excellence, commitment to football and solidarity had helped make him a global symbol of the sport.
Barcelona also underlined how central the club was to Messi’s career. The statement described the relationship as an “unbreakable” part of the club’s legacy and said it would always be a source of pride that he remains connected to its history.
The language marks a notable change in tone from the difficult circumstances surrounding Messi’s exit. In 2021, Barcelona announced that it could not renew his contract, citing financial and structural obstacles. Messi subsequently left for Paris Saint-Germain before continuing his career in the United States with Inter Miami. The separation was painful for supporters who had expected the club’s greatest modern player to finish his career in Barcelona colours.
From La Masia prospect to global football icon
Speaking to Spanish broadcaster Teledeporte, Laporta reflected on the foundations of Messi’s rise. He pointed to La Masia, Barcelona’s youth academy, the club’s distinctive approach to football and the trust placed in the young player as important elements in his development.
Laporta described the partnership as an ideal fit: a uniquely gifted footballer at a club whose style and footballing identity suited his abilities. Messi joined Barcelona’s youth system as a teenager and progressed through the ranks before becoming the centrepiece of the first team. His close control, vision, movement and finishing helped shape an era in which Barcelona competed for major honours across Spain and Europe.
That connection was not only about trophies. Messi’s development was closely associated with Barcelona’s passing game and emphasis on technical skill, while the club provided the stage on which his talent could flourish. For many fans, the relationship between player and team became a defining example of how a strong footballing philosophy can complement individual brilliance.
Could the award help repair the relationship?
The timing of Laporta’s tribute is significant because relations between the president and Messi have remained sensitive since the 2021 departure. The award gives both sides a positive occasion to recognize what they achieved together without immediately revisiting the disagreements and disappointment surrounding the end of his Barcelona career.
Still, a public message does not necessarily mean that a full reconciliation is imminent. It does, however, create space for a more constructive conversation. Barcelona’s statement and Laporta’s personal congratulations both stress respect, shared history and pride—ideas that may resonate with supporters hoping to see the club and its former captain reconnect more visibly.
Questions about a possible return to Barcelona have often surfaced, whether in a ceremonial role, a tribute at the stadium or a future position within the club. No new arrangement has been announced, and any prediction about what comes next should be treated cautiously. For now, the clearest development is that Laporta and Barcelona have chosen to celebrate Messi’s achievement publicly and reaffirm his place in the club’s story.
A milestone for Messi and a moment for Barcelona
The Princess of Asturias Award recognizes Messi’s sporting accomplishments and wider influence, extending his legacy beyond match statistics and silverware. His career has made him one of football’s most recognizable figures, while his journey from La Masia to the global stage remains closely associated with Barcelona.
For the club, the award is also an occasion to acknowledge a chapter that helped define its modern identity. Laporta’s message does not erase the difficult end to Messi’s time at Camp Nou, but it reinforces the idea that the separation cannot undo the achievements they shared.
Whether this gesture becomes a turning point will depend on what follows. For now, the exchange offers a rare moment of warmth between Barcelona’s leadership and its most celebrated former player—and a reminder that, in football, a complicated departure does not have to erase a lasting bond.
