Victor Font Vows Messi Will Be His First Call

Victor Font has renewed his push to lead Barcelona by making a clear promise about the first call he intends to make if he wins next year’s presidential election. The businessman confirmed that Lionel Messi remains central to his vision for the club’s future, and he did not hide who he wants to speak to the moment the results are in.

“The first call I’ll make when we win the elections will be to Leo Messi,” Font told El Mundo Deportivo. “It will be the first phone call I make.”

Barcelona will stage presidential elections in 2026. Font, who lost to Joan Laporta in 2021, is again positioning himself as the main challenger. His recent comments suggest he sees Messi as a key figure in restoring long term stability at the club.

Messi, now 38, left Barcelona for Paris Saint Germain in 2021 following the club’s financial collapse and later moved to Inter Miami. He returned to the Camp Nou last week during Argentina duty and said “I hope one day I can return.” His relationship with Laporta has been strained since his departure, and while the current president has said a playing return is “not realistic,” Font is unwilling to close that door.

“Personally, as a Barça fan, I get goosebumps, but obviously this depends on him, and what we shouldn’t do is try to use him,” Font said. “I think Laporta has done it, and he’s done it many times, and I think he’s done it wrong; the most blatant example was during the elections.”

In 2021, Laporta publicly stated that Messi would leave the club if he did not win the vote and insisted he could guarantee Messi’s future. Font views that moment as a betrayal.

“That was another example of a broken promise,” he said. “I believe Messi shouldn’t be used, but Messi needs to know that the first thing I will do if I win the elections is pick up the phone and call him. We need to embrace Leo Messi and do everything possible to ensure that, as soon as possible, he has the role at Barça that, as he said last week, he wants and that all Barça fans would be thrilled about.”

Font also made it clear that the club must treat Messi’s intentions with respect, both in terms of football decisions and institutional planning. Asked whether he has already spoken to Messi or his representatives, Font said: “Our duty is to speak with everyone who can make contributions to the future, and it’s important that we understand their intentions. But what I’m saying is also important: we need to know that these are club assets.”

Laporta recently spoke about plans to create a statue of Messi at the Camp Nou in tribute to his historic contribution. Font said that gesture falls short.

“Having a statue of him doesn’t even begin to cover it,” he said.