Lionel Messi tribute match at Camp Nou confirmed by Barcelona as Argentine great is branded 'best player in Barca's history'
Updated 30/06/2025 at 11:10 GMT+1
Barcelona have reaffirmed plans to hold a tribute match for Lionel Messi at the Camp Nou. The club had always intended to pay tribute to the Argentine legend, who won four UEFA Champions League titles during his time with the club. Camp Nou is currently undergoing a reconstruction, but once it is open, Barca vice-president Elena Fort says they will press on with plans for a grand homecoming.
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Lionel Messi will once again grace Camp Nou, with Barcelona confirming a tribute match is planned for when renovations at the stadium have been completed.
The Argentine spent nearly two decades with the Spanish club before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
He departed Catalonia as a bona fide legend, lifting 34 major titles, including 10 La Liga crowns to accompany four UEFA Champions League successes.
Barca had always planned to honour his achievements at some point, and vice-president Elena Fort insists it will happen upon returning to Camp Nou.
"Leo Messi's tribute at Camp Nou must take place when the stadium is 100% finished," she told Spanish news outlet La Vanguardia.
"It will definitely happen because he is the best player in Barca's history."
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The Olympic Stadium has been Barcelona's home since June 2023.
That is because Camp Nou has been undergoing a major facelift, which is unlikely to be completed until next year.
The project will see the ground's capacity rise to 105,000, making it the largest venue in Europe.
"I think that in the summer of 2026, we will be able to say that the stadium is finished," Fort added.
"Visually it won't be 100% finished, the roof will need to be closed. But everything will be there."
A tribute match at the ground where Messi delivered so much of his artistry and famous nights will be a fitting tribute to a player who scored a sensational 672 goals in 778 appearances for the club.
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The 38-year-old has picked up a string of personal honours to accompany his team achievements, including being named the Ballon d'Or winner on a record eight occasions.
Since leaving Barca in 2021, Messi helped himself to two Ligue 1 titles with PSG.
Messi was powerless, however, to prevent current club Inter Miami from making an early exit from the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday.
The Argentine was on the field for the entire 90 minutes as his former employers PSG dished out a 4-0 defeat in the last 16.
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