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Messi submits a transfer request to leave the chaos at Barcelona.
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We all knew it would come one day but not like this. The dream was Messi scoring the winning goal in the champions league final and then heading off into the sunset. Leaving behind the next generation of technically gifted players to carry on the glory years of majestic football. Tears in front of a full house at Camp Nou, a sublime presentation ceremony and a standing ovation from all of Spain. Maybe a guard of honour from Barcelona players past and preset. Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Pique, Henry, Etoo…the list goes on. Pele walking onto the pitch to give him a special edition Ballon D’or.
That was how it was supposed to end. Not like this. Not a transfer request to leave a team late on a Tuesday night. A player whose last game was a humiliating 8-2 defeat. A club in disarray and disunited. An outgoing unpopular president whose last six months could result in the club becoming even further disengaged with football at the highest level. A court case to get what he wants – a free transfer so that he can choose his next place to show his talents as opposed to joining one of the small pool of clubs owned by wealthy sovereign states. And all this in the middle of a global pandemic which is sure to take a lot more lives before the year is over. No, this was not the dream finale for Messi.
We will in the due course of time find out who will be privileged to be able to showcase his talents. Maybe, he can do a year in England, then Germany, then Italy and finally settle down for a long romantic farewell in France. He can thrill the football supporters of all the nations and show why he will be missed when his body no longer allows him to make us dream of how football should be played. From a young kid at the age of seventeen to fifteen years later, he has mesmerised us with his natural talents. Scoring wonderful wonderful goals, being individualistic brilliant and yet, always able to integrate into the team structure. He will be missed and many of us who first saw him as that young seventeen year old player will probably never see the likes of Messi again. We will have the memories, all the retro games and maybe that will be enough. But we know, that is not the case. A Barcelona team without Messi feels incomplete, a football world without Messi feels lonely. Their loss will be someone’s gain. Let us hope Barcelona remember everything this kid has given to them and let this parting be as graceful and honourable as he truly deserves.
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