The potential next president of Barcelona said that Lionel Messi must end his career in Catalonia and then stay on to play a key role at the club after retiring.
Victor Font, a telecommunications entrepreneur, has also earmarked another Barca great in Xavi to lead the team as a general manager in the long term as well as being coach.
Messi, a six-time Ballon d'Or winner and Barca's all-time top scorer, came close to leaving the Catalans in August after his relationship with then president Josep Maria Bartomeu was fractured beyond repair.
But the Argentine can leave the club, where he has spent his entire career, for free at the end of this season unless he signs a new contract before the end of June.
Font, who formed part of a campaign against Bartomeu which led to him resigning in October, is the front-runner to win the January 24 election and believes the world's best paid player can be convinced to stay at Camp Nou.
"When you are lucky enough to have the best player in the world in your team, you need to retain that talent," Font, 48, told Reuters on Tuesday.
"If Messi goes to a competitor we will not find an alternative easily as there is no alternative to Messi. So that’s why retaining him in the short term is critical.
"But for us the association between Messi and Barca is a strategic relationship and we want to make sure we create the right conditions for Messi to play a role in the club even after he retires. Messi could contribute plenty of ideas."
Font's view on the importance of Messi remaining at the club is in stark contrast to that of La Liga chief Javier Tebas.
The outspoken league chief says the Spanish top flight coped without a hiccup when Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar left, and he doesn’t believe a possible Messi departure would have any more of an impact.
"We would prefer Messi to stay in La Liga but Ronaldo and Neymar left and we have not noticed any difference," Tebas said. "We are ready."
Font has been planning a run at the Barcelona presidency for seven years and sees former midfield maestro Xavi as fundamental to his plans – and persuading Messi to stay on.
Xavi, currently managing Qatari club Al Sadd, formed a formidable partnership alongside the likes of Messi and Andres Iniesta before leaving Barca in 2015. The Spaniard's intricate passing helped supply the Argentine's relentless goal hauls for 11 years, was a fulcrum to Barca winning seven La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues.
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Messi's 10 best goals for Barca
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Messi's best goals ... 10. Lionel Messi scores the second goal during the Champions League Final against Manchester United at the Stadio Olimpico in 2009. Getty -
9. Messi scores winning goal against Estudiantes in extra time of the Club World Cup Final at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi in 2009. Stephen Lock / The National -
8. Messi fires an incredible free kick to score during La Liga match against Celta Vigo at Camp Nou in 2016. AFP -
7. Messi's flick and finish against Arsenal during the Champions League round of 16 second leg match at Camp Nou stadium in 2011 was breathtaking. Getty -
6. A nutmeg and a delightful chipped finish against Sevilla in 2012 made this the sixth favourite goal of Messi's 630 for Barcelona. AFP -
5. Messi made defenders fall over before chipping Bayern's Manuel Neuer during the first leg of the Champions League semifinal match in 2015. Getty -
4. An incredible mazy run and finish against Zaragoza in 2010. AFP -
3. Taking on and beating the entire Real Madrid defence in the Champions League semi-final at the Bernabeu in 2011 will underline your popularity with Barca fans. Though possibly not with Real supporters. Getty -
2. Messi on his way to another spellbinding finish and the opening goal of the Copa del Rey Final against Bilbao in 2015. Getty -
1, Voted the fans' favourite, Messi basically took on the whole Getafe team in the Copa del Rey in 2007, and won. Incredibly, he started the run by beating two players while still in his own half. Getty
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"Messi needs to be convinced we have a competitive and winning project and Xavi can play a decisive role in us doing that," Font said.
"Xavi’s credibility and know how about football is the right one to convince someone like Messi. They are friends, they know each other, they trust each other and that’s going to be key."
If he wins the election, Font will take charge of a club with the highest wage bill in world football. However, the club is in deep financial crisis, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic which has obliterated revenue from ticketing, merchandising and tourism.
Barca's last accounts showed a loss of €97 million ($115m), while their overall net debt more than doubled to €488m. But Font believes Messi’s love for Barcelona, who he joined aged 13, is so deep that he could lower his salary demands in order to stay.
"All clubs are in economic crisis [due to the pandemic] and everyone needs to adjust their expectations," he said.
"The good thing with Messi is he loves the club as we all do and I'm sure he is ready to take a long term perspective and make a contribution so the club can manage the short term in the best possible way.
"When you have someone like Messi who loves the club and who the club wants to retain for many years, you have the framework to regenerate and build a winning team."
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55 Lionel Messi records
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768 - With his appearance against Real Sociedad on March 21, 2021, Lionel Messi became Barcelona's all-time appearance record-holder, overtaking Xavi. He scored twice in Barca's 6-1 win. AFP -
LIONEL MESSI'S BARCELONA RECORDS: 6 - Most Copa del Rey finals scored in: 2009, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019. Reuters -
34 - Most trophies won as a Barcelona player. Reuters -
513 - Most matches won with Barcelona. EPA -
48 - Most hat-tricks scored in all competitions for Barcelona. EPA -
15 - First player to score in 15 consecutive seasons of the UEFA Champions League. AFP -
7 - Most Pichichi Trophies (top scorer in La Liga): 2010, 2012–2013, 2017–2020. Reuters -
37 - Most opponents scored against in La Liga history. AFP -
Only player to be top goalscorer and top assist provider in the same season: (2018–20). EPA -
361 - Most La Liga victories. EPA -
16 - Most dribbles completed in a UEFA Champions League game. AFP -
27 - Most league matches scored in a season (38 games): 2012–13. EPA -
19 - Most teams scored against in a season: 2012–13. AFP -
75 - Most appearances in the Copa del Rey for Barcelona. AFP -
47 - Most goals scored from a free kick in official competitions for Barcelona. Reuters -
38 - Most stadiums scored at in La Liga. Reuters -
485 - Most La Liga appearances by a foreign player. AFP -
150 - First player to reach 150 La Liga assists. AFP -
4 - Most Man of the Match awards won in one FIFA World Cup: in 2014. AFP -
6 - Only player to score in six different club competitions in a calendar year twice: 2011 and 2015. Reuters -
First player ever to score consecutively against all teams in a professional league (2012-2013). EPA -
4 - Only player to provide at least one assist in four World Cup tournaments. AFP -
13 - Most appearances in the FIFPro World11: (2007–2019). EPA -
11 - Most appearances on a video game cover by a football player. AFP -
334 - Fastest player ever to reach 300 goals in Europe's top five leagues. AFP -
10 - Most Man of the Match awards won in Copa América matches. AP Photo -
115 - Most goals scored for a single club in the UEFA Champions League. AFP -
435 - Fastest player ever to reach 400 goals in Europe's top five leagues. AFP -
5 - Most goals scored in a European Cup/Champions League game, against Bayer Leverkusen in 2012. AFP -
110 - Most dribbles completed at the World Cup finals. AFP -
123 - Fastest player to reach 100 UEFA Champions League goals. AFP -
68 - Most goals scored in the UEFA Champions League group stage. AFP -
5 - Only player to provide at least one assist in five Copa América tournaments. AFP -
3 - Most UEFA/UEFA.com Goal of the Season awards: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2018–19. AFP -
6 - Most Best Player in La Liga awards: 2009–2013; 2015. AFP -
12 - Top assist provider in Copa America history. AP Photo -
21 - Most goals in CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup qualifiers. AFP -
6 - Most Ballons d'Or: 2009–2012; 2015; 2019. AFP -
Messi is the only player ever to score in his teens, his 20s, and his 30s at the World Cup. He first scored at the 2006 FIFA World Cup as a 19-year-old in Argentina's 6-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro, then five times in 2014, and once in 2018. AFP -
6 - Most FIFA World Player of the Year/Best FIFA Men's Player Awards: 2009–2012; 2015; 2019. AFP -
444 - Most goals in La Liga. AFP -
50 - goals in a La Liga and European league season. Reuters -
8 - Most Champions League hat-tricks. AFP -
183 - Most assists in La Liga. AFP -
7 - La Liga Best Forward titles ( 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16). AFP -
36 - Most hat-tricks in La Liga. AFP -
300 - Most recorded assists in football history. AFP -
91 - goals in a calendar year (2012) - 79 with Barca (59 in La Liga, 13 in the Champions League, 5 in the Copa del Rey and 2 in the Spanish Super Cup) plus 12 with the Argentina national side. -
6 - European Golden Shoes for top scorer in European football. AFP -
60 - Only player to score 60+ goals in all competitions in 2 consecutive seasons: (2011–12 and 2012–13). AFP -
10 - Only player to score more than 40 goals in 10 consecutive seasons. AFP -
79 - Top goalscorer in all club competitions in a calendar year (2012). AFP -
21 - Longest goalscoring run in a domestic league: 33 goals in 2012–13. Reuters -
7 - Only player to score in seven official competitions in one calendar year: 2015, in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League, Copa America, UEFA Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. Reuters -
70 - Argentina all-time top scorer. EPA -
27 - Top goalscorer in El Clásico. EPA
