It had to happen that way, his love for FC Barcelona is just too great.
Lionel Messi fights, tears flow.
He doesn't want to go, but he has to.
The emotional farewell in the video.
Barcelona - Lionel Messi's tears didn't want to dry anymore.
The six-time world footballer pressed the handkerchief that his wife Antonella had quickly handed him over his eyes.
Moved, deeply touched and involuntarily, Messi said goodbye to his club, FC Barcelona, which is his heart and soul - in order to fly to Paris very soon for the rather sober medical check-up.
"A new story will begin and it will be the most difficult chapter of my career," said Messi, pausing and sobbing again and again.
The moving moments can be seen in videos above and below.
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Lionel Messi couldn't hold back the tears.
© Joan Monfort / dpa
Now a new challenge awaits the Argentine.
Paris Saint-Germain is an option, said Messi himself, they would of course speak to each other.
Nothing has been decided at this point in time.
Many clubs would have reported.
According to French “L'Équipe”, Messi should travel to the French capital for an examination on the same day, but no later than Monday.
The possible arrival of the Argentine has long been the big topic in the PSG dressing room, wrote the Sportblatt.
As for FC Bayern, Hasan Salihamidzic clearly declined in a one-two on Sunday.
Messi from FC Barcelona to Paris?
A change against his will
Messi to Paris?
It is an unwilling change.
"It is so hard for me.
I've been here my whole life, I'm not ready for it, ”said Messi, who moved to Spain from Rosaria in Argentina when he was 13.
FC Barcelona paid for the hormone treatment for Messi's stunted growth.
For many, he became the greatest at Barça.
The trophies for the 35 titles that Messi won with the club were polished to a shine and lined up in the auditorium in 1899.
The FC Barcelona team had come, and Messi had said goodbye to a few teammates over a meal at home in Castelldefels the previous evening.
Coach Ronald Koeman was there, the club bosses and right at the front, there were Messi's wife Antonella and their three “Catalan-Argentinian” (Messi) sons.
They had had a great time in the past few weeks, Messi had finally won his first big title with Argentina, after which he went on vacation to Miami and Ibiza to relax.
Messi had returned full of energy and had to learn that it couldn't go any further.
He wanted to forego half of what was still his most generous salary.
"We wanted to continue our wonderful life in Barcelona," said Messi: "Today I have to say goodbye to that."
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All dams broke at Lionel Messi.
© Joan Monfort / dpa
Messi farewell to FC Barcelona - the reason is the money
The continuation of the unique success story, which had also gone through severe lows, failed, according to the club, due to the requirements of the financial fair play of the Spanish league - and because FC Barcelona has a financial problem.
"It didn't work because the league didn't want to, because the club didn't want to go into debt," said Messi.
It's almost half a billion euros.
"We have taken on a terrible legacy," club president Joan Laporta said on Friday.
The financial situation of the club was so bad due to the "catastrophic management" of the past few years that it would not have been able to meet the requirements if Messi had been signed on, explained Laporta, who returned to the post in March.
He also sat in the front row at the highly emotional Adios for Messi.
In the past, under Laporta's predecessor Josep Maria Bartomeu, Messi wanted to leave the club in the summer.
By all means.
The release clause in the insane amount of 700 million euros prevented it.
Back then he would have known exactly what he wanted to say.
"This year it's different," said Messi.
“In the past few days I have thought a lot about what I can actually say.
The truth is: I just can't think of anything, "said Messi, his voice heavy and low, after wiping off the first tears before the first words.
Messi-PK at FC Barcelona: Millions followed him on the Internet
Because before he started his 40-minute declarations of love for the club, wistful memories of times together and prospects for a different future, Messi struggled with his composure. Millions of people followed the press conference live on the Internet and saw how Messi took off the mouth and nose protection in the same dark blue as his suit and tears rolled down. The applause of the guests in the auditorium overwhelmed Messi. "This is the club I love, and this is not the moment that I was expecting," he said: "I gave everything for this club and for this jersey from the first to the last day."
The farewell hurts all the more because it is a farewell almost without fans - a few hundred had gathered in front of the main entrance.
Not hearing them "screaming my name", Messi explained.
He who doesn't want to go down in football history as a great speaker, but has always only wanted one thing: to play.
This is how he had imagined his departure from FC Barcelona at some point.
He, the ball, a place and fans.
“I would have liked to have done it on the lawn, with people.
Hear one last applause. "
Messi says goodbye to FC Barcelona: "I've seen many beautiful things"
But it got that too. The guests rose, teammates, coaches, officials, friends and family. And Messi right up there on the podium even more. “The values of this club have taught me humility and respect, I hope that's what remains of me. I've seen many beautiful things, including bad ones. But all of that made me grow and become the person I am today, "said Messi." I have no doubt that we will return because it is our home. I promised my children. "
But before that I will probably go to Paris.
Where his former strike partner and buddy Neymar plays, plus the three Argentines Ángel di María, Leandro Paredes, Mauro Icardi and where an Argentine coach is in Mauricio Pochettino.
Where football giants like Kylian Mbappé, who is courted by Real Madrid, Italy's European champion goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, his colleague Marco Verratti and ex-Real icon Sergio Ramos kick.
Even though the wish to continue in Barcelona has not come true, Messi's other sporting goals are likely to shed tears of joy again.
"I want to win the Champions League again," he said. "I want to win as many titles as possible." There were several potential new goals for Messi.
(dpa)
List of rubric lists: © Joan Monfort
