We never thought this day would come. Lionel Messi never thought this day would come. His Barcelona career is over.
The Argentine took to the stage on Sunday to say goodbye to the club he joined 21 years ago, and the emotions were running high. He was desperately looking for a tissue before he had even started speaking.
Greatest Applause
Of
All
Time pic.twitter.com/YoJt8nkTZc— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 8, 2021
He’s not the only one who is Crying, the whole world is Crying at this moment ? pic.twitter.com/xMPxZFJvuM
— Pradeep (@MahakalMessi) August 8, 2021
Thank you Leo for everything. Best wishes for your future. ???❤️❤️
Greatest Player Of All Time??
We’ll miss you, King #Messi pic.twitter.com/LEKhCR7Pc1— Shekhar Stha (@shekharstha21) August 8, 2021
It still doesn’t feel real. As a Barça fan I’m absolutely heart broken. But as a Messi fan, I wish nothing but absolutely the best to Leo for his future.
— • (@brilliantbusi) August 8, 2021
Att1...
It really is the end of an era. Apart from Argentina, nobody has ever seen Messi represent any other team. He’s been reigning supreme at Camp Nou for the last 16 years.
Fans were eager to pay tribute to Messi, remembering some of his best moments in a Barcelona shirt and recalling the first time they ever laid eyes on the diminutive attacker.
Ronaldinho made me fall in love with football and Barcelona
But Messi made me enjoy football and Barcelona
Most of my favourite memories as a Barca fan was with you
It’s going to be difficult and never be the same watching Barca without you
Thanks Leo
Forca Barca
❤️? pic.twitter.com/3s49PYBSVs
— ?????? ?????? ??? ??? (@Adejoswal) August 8, 2021
#GraciasMessi Thank you for all the memories Leo pic.twitter.com/PwieLIWAKA
— Bartemou Machadxhod (@Cric_Subham) August 8, 2021
Thank you for everything Lionel Messi, you’ve given us memories no one will ever replicate ❤️?
But it’s time to move on. Visca el Barça pic.twitter.com/QuThn36Mq3
— ??? (@FDJChief) August 8, 2021
As you can imagine, a lot of the narrative on social media revolved around Messi’s future.
The situation wasn’t helped by a report emerging while he was on stage suggesting he had agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain and was ready to hop straight on a plane for a medical after he was done saying goodbye.
Messi denied those claims in his press conference, but that didn’t change anything.
Catch me as PSG on fifa 22 every game #messi #FIFA22 #psg
— Arun Rana (@r63746900) August 8, 2021
Messi to PSG, finally he won’t have to do all the work.????
— Kamande (@Razor_the_Poet) August 8, 2021
Messi tonight pic.twitter.com/UkDN8TDKti
— Ted Cooper (@_TedCooper) August 8, 2021
y’all feeling sad for messi: ??
messi: psg ? pic.twitter.com/Z7eu07dKiG— nick (@niqneeq) August 8, 2021
With Messi, you can mention PSG’s attacking trio as
“MNM” pic.twitter.com/N3wnDYHIsV
— Juan Arango (@JuanG_Arango) August 8, 2021
The response on Twitter wasn’t all positive, however.
Messi may have a lot of fans, but there are just as many critics of the Argentine, and some felt his departure from Barcelona was being blown out of proportion somewhat.
This Messi news is like the VVD injury, they haven’t died ffs, how is it actually effecting so many peoples lives ?? non Barcelona related
— Dan (@DanReilly_25) August 8, 2021
Messi don scam Barca fans with history fake tears?
— BAUSHE??♚ (@abbkar_ai) August 8, 2021
#Messi. You dont have to leave barca you also can say that your doing it for free tou earned enough al those years , you are choosinf for your wallet, fake tears
— Danny (@kommene) August 8, 2021
Having said that, at the end of the day, the overwhelming message on Twitter was one of gratitude and sadness that such an important era in football was coming to a close.
778 games. 672 goals. Ten La Liga titles. Four Champions Leagues.
The next time Messi kicks a ball, he’ll be wearing a new shirt, and Twitter wasn’t ready for that.
Not even in the wildest dream i imagined this. I’m so sad ?,,, everytime i saw you on the pitch i smiled. You are a therapy. I Just can’t imagine my dearest club without you. It Just don’t feel right. I love you so much, wish you the best of best in your new journey.#messi pic.twitter.com/k0JpfP9pDE
— Azad Messi Ahmed (@AzadAhm70393935) August 8, 2021
#GraciasMessi You will always be cherished by all the barca fans. It’s a new era for messi as well as for barca. Thanks for everything that you have ever done for this club. pic.twitter.com/vrecnx8tAj
— ErenJaeger (@RugvedSandeep) August 8, 2021
