Barcelona Confirm Messi Tribute Match Will Be Held at Rebuilt Camp Nou
Barcelona vice-president Elena Fort has reaffirmed that Lionel Messi will be honored with a special tribute match at Camp Nou once the stadium’s renovation is fully completed.
Speaking to La Vanguardia, Fort said: “A tribute to Leo Messi at Camp Nou will definitely take place once the reconstruction is finished. It’s a certainty — he’s the greatest player in our history.”
Messi, now 38, departed Barça in 2021 due to financial constraints that prevented the club from offering him a new deal. He spent two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Inter Miami in 2023, effectively closing the door on a competitive return to the club where he became a global icon.
The tribute match is expected to coincide with Camp Nou’s grand reopening, giving fans a long-awaited opportunity to see Messi wear the Barcelona shirt one final time in front of a capacity crowd.
Before that milestone, Barça will head to Asia for their preseason tour, followed by the Joan Gamper Trophy on August 10 — the first fixture at the partially refurbished Camp Nou. Como, managed by Cesc Fàbregas, could be the opponent in that symbolic curtain-raiser.
