Former Barcelona striker and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has decided to actively participate in the upcoming Barcelona presidential elections to be held in 2026, according to ABC.es.
Messi’s goal is to help another candidate remove current club president Joan Laporta. He will not support any candidate without a real chance of victory, joining only a strong and united opposition.
The reason for this decision is Messi’s ongoing resentment toward Laporta, as he believes that in summer 2021 the president betrayed his trust by promising to renew his contract and withdrawing the offer at the last moment. Behind the scenes, efforts are underway to form a strong alternative to Laporta, the source reports.
Laporta has been president of Barcelona since 2021 and previously held the position from 2003 to 2010. Under his leadership, the team won multiple Spanish championships and Champions League titles.
After 10 rounds of the 2025-26 La Liga season, Barcelona are second in the standings with 22 points. In the 11th round, the team will play Elche on November 2 at 20:30 GMT+3.
