Messi calls out reports of Barcelona president speaking to him after the Ballon d’Or ceremony: “Lying again”

All that glittered was gold for Lionel Messi, as he went on stage in Paris to collect his 8th Ballon d’Or, beating Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to the award courtesy of his exploits in the 2022 World Cup with Argentina. 

The former Barcelona man, currently playing for Inter Miami, won the World Cup last year in Qatar, and was also awarded the Golden Ball as the best player in the tournament. Not to forget, his seven goals across seven games.

Addressing the audience after winning the award, Messi made sure to namecheck Barcelona, the club he spent most of his life with.

“Barça is the best club in the world, in football history. It’s a special club, very different from the rest.”

When asked if he still followed Barcelona, the 36-year-old replied: “Of course I follow Barça. It’s the club that I love and will love all my life.

He also addressed rumours of his return to Barcelona, and his untimely farewell from it in 2021, saying, “I would like to say goodbye to the Barça fans in another way. I felt like the sensations weren’t good when I left. I deserve to say goodbye to the people that I shared good and bad times with,” Messi added.

Later, it was reported by Gerard Romero that Leo had met Joan Laporta following the ceremony and the Barcelona president assured the player that they are working on a way to honour his tenure with the blaugranes.

However, Messi took to Instagram to publicly call out Romero, uploading the news with the words, “You are lying, once again.”

The journalist was quick to apologise for the report. “A thousand apologies to all, and a thousand more. I have been fooled again with something related to Leo. I am not learning, I am sorry, it is very fu**ed up.”

“I accept everything you tell me today and I promise that we will work to ensure that it does not happen again. Apologies.”

With the Camp Nou under renovation up until late next year, it seems impossible that Messi will get the farewell he deserves anytime soon.