Lionel Messi is the center of the drama of the presidential campaigns of FC Barcelona. Years after leaving the club in 2021, the presence of Messi continues to influence Camp Nou fans and politics. He is nowadays used as a political instrument by presidential candidates.
A critic of the present president Joan Laporta by the name Marc Ciria has recently made one bold step. He hung an enormous flag over Barcelona. The poster displays Messi in the publicity at Santiago Bernabeu. Besides it, there is the following slogan: “Looking forward to seeing you again. This is obviously an appeal to the sentiments of Barcelona fans. It makes them remember the glory days of Messi and wants to introduce nostalgia to the election debate.
This Messi-centered campaign is targeting the socios who are the club members who vote the president. Ciria believes that reminding about the legacy that Messi has given to the club will make him have an advantage over Laporta. Barcelona fans are divided. This is considered as a very clever move by some people and exploitation of emotions as a political gain by others.
The campaign tactics have not been mentioned by Messi himself. But his influence is unquestionable. His legacy at Barcelona is still solid, and even indirect references can potentially influence the opinion of voters. This scenario brings out the power of football legends that can transform not only the sport, but also narratives, choices, and continue as cultural symbols well after they have retired.
With the presidential race becoming hot, Messi can be seen to be involved, voluntarily or not, in the merging of sport and politics. The interest of fans in determining the weight of his legacy in the next vote will be high. 
