Former FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed that his relationship with club legend Lionel Messi may never return to what it once was, following an awkward encounter at the Ballon d'Or ceremony.

Laporta disclosed that he attempted to greet the Argentine superstar during the 2023 ceremony but sensed that Messi was unwilling to shake hands, a moment that made him realise the emotional distance between them remained unresolved.

“The relationship with Messi isn’t the same as before. There was also a situation at the Ballon d’Or ceremony where I went to say hello to him, and he thought we shouldn’t shake hands,” Laporta said during an interview with Catalunya Radio.

Despite the tension, Laporta acknowledged Messi’s legendary status at Barcelona, expressing hope that reconciliation could still happen over time.

Messi’s departure from Barcelona in 2021 remains one of the most painful chapters in the club’s modern history. The Argentine icon was on the verge of signing a new contract before the deal collapsed due to the club’s severe financial crisis, forcing him to join Paris Saint-Germain. He later moved to Inter Miami CF in Major League Soccer after hopes of a Barcelona return failed to materialise in 2023.

Laporta suggested that the manner of Messi’s exit — combined with the unsuccessful comeback negotiations — contributed to the lingering strain between both men.

Opinion: A Broken Football Fairytale That Still Hurts

The situation between Laporta and Messi is more than a personal disagreement — it represents the emotional fallout of a football fairytale that ended too abruptly.

For fans, Messi and Barcelona were inseparable. Seeing their relationship fracture, both professionally and personally, feels almost unnatural. Laporta may carry administrative responsibility, but Messi likely carries emotional wounds — the pain of leaving a club he considered home.

What makes this story particularly powerful is that neither side appears entirely wrong. Financial realities forced decisions, but human emotions rarely follow financial logic.

There is still hope, however. Football has a way of healing old wounds, especially when history and legacy are shared so deeply. Whether reconciliation happens publicly or privately, Messi will forever remain Barcelona’s greatest symbol — and perhaps, one day, both men may find closure beyond the politics that separated them.