Laporta Lifts the Lid on That Awkward Messi Snub at the Ballon d'Or
Joan Laporta has opened up about the moment Lionel Messi blanked him at the 2023 Ballon d'Or ceremony, admitting their relationship is well and truly on the rocks.
Joan Laporta has gone on record about the state of his relationship with Lionel Messi — and it makes for some uncomfortable reading if you’re a Barça fan who still dreams of a fairytale reunion.
The Ballon d’Or Snub Heard Round the World
The headline moment Laporta revealed centres on the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris. According to the Barça president, he walked over to greet Messi — perfectly normal thing to do, you’d think — only for the Argentine to make it abundantly clear he wasn’t interested in exchanging pleasantries. As Laporta put it, Messi “considered that we didn’t have to greet each other.” Bit cold, that.
It’s the kind of moment that’s hard to misread. You don’t blank someone at a glitzy awards do unless things have gone properly pear-shaped between you.
How Did It Get Here?
The falling out between Laporta and Messi didn’t happen overnight. A few key threads worth keeping in mind:
- The 2021 exit — Messi left Barça in tears, with the club citing financial constraints under La Liga’s salary cap rules. Many in Messi’s camp felt the club — and Laporta specifically — could have done more.
- The Inter Miami chapter — Rather than returning to Camp Nou, Messi headed to MLS, a move that effectively closed the door on any romantic comeback.
- Attempted reconciliation — Laporta acknowledged there were some efforts to patch things up after the Ballon d’Or incident, but nothing has stuck so far.
Respect Remains, Even If the Warmth Doesn’t
To his credit, Laporta wasn’t throwing Messi under the bus. He was measured about it — nostalgic, even. He made clear that whatever personal awkwardness exists between them, it doesn’t change what Messi means to the club. In his words, “he is a myth of Barcelonism” — and that’s not something a bit of diplomatic frostiness is going to erase.
It’s a strange limbo, really. Laporta clearly still holds Messi in the highest regard as a footballer and as a symbol of everything Barça have stood for over the past two decades. But on a personal level? The relationship, as Laporta himself admitted, “is not what it was.”
What Now?
Laporta didn’t slam any doors shut. He left open the possibility of a future reconciliation, which tells you he’s not entirely given up on mending fences. Whether Messi has any interest in that is another matter entirely — and right now, the signs aren’t exactly encouraging.
For Barça supporters, it’s a bittersweet situation. The greatest player in the club’s history and the man who brought him back for a second spell as president are barely on speaking terms. Football, eh — it’s never straightforward.
Source: MARCA