'No player has given so much joy', Gary Lineker leads tribute to Lionel Messi as Argentina superstar leaves Barcelona

Barcelona: As Barcelona reeled from the reality that Lionel Messi really is leaving after 17 stellar years of trophy-laden success, former Barcelona and England star Gary Lineker was quick to salute the Argentinian’s legacy.

“So sad watching a clearly very emotional Lionel Messi having to say goodbye to @FCBarcelona,” tweeted Lineker, who spent three seasons with the Catalan giants in the late 1980s, winning a Spanish Cup and a Cup Winners Cup.

So sad watching a clearly very emotional Lionel Messi having to say goodbye to @FCBarcelona. No player in the history of the sport has given so much joy, so many unforgettable moments, so much success to one club.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) August 8, 2021

“No player in the history of the sport has given so much joy, so many unforgettable moments, so much success to one club,” said Lineker of Messi, who won 35 trophies including 10 league titles and four Champions Leagues.

In the immediate aftermath of Messi’s address little reaction emerged in the Catalan metropolis as shocked fans, who turned out in their thousands to bid farewell at the Camp Nou, drank in the news that what they had feared really was happening.

The club posted on their Twitter feed a picture of Messi surrounded by replicas of the trophies he has won with the single word: Unrepeatable.

Unrepeatable 🐐 pic.twitter.com/xpWRDlHyCq

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 8, 2021

Coach Ronald Koeman, whose goal won the club their first European Cup in 1992, tweeted Saturday that for him it was “still hard to understand that you will not play for @FCBarcelona anymore,” while saluting Messi’s work ethic.

Still hard to understand that you will not play for @FCBarcelona anymore. Thanks for everything you have done for our club Leo. I really enjoyed the full season we worked together. I am impressed with your work ethic and desire to win. pic.twitter.com/iRCUpsdoZK

— Ronald Koeman (@RonaldKoeman) August 7, 2021

Barcelona’s former midfield general Andres Iniesta looked back on 14 years of often “magical moments” but added “imagining the club without you or seeing you at the Camp Nou in another shirt” would be very hard.

Convivimos 14 años, compartimos momentos mágicos y otros jodidos, pero siempre nos mantuvimos juntos.

Imaginar el club sin ti o poder verte en el Camp Nou con otra camiseta, se hace difícil.

Deseo que tú y los tuyos estéis bien.

Mucha suerte, Leo. Fue un placer jugar juntos ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6pPQB3aHZ0

— Andrés Iniesta (@andresiniesta8) August 7, 2021