Barcelona have deleted a comment they posted in response to Lionel Messi’s announcement that he was ending his international career with Argentina, prompting further criticism of the club’s handling of the news.
Messi made the announcement on Monday, bringing widespread attention to his decision. As the club where he spent most of his career, Barcelona’s reaction was expected to carry particular significance.
However, rather than issuing a separate tribute, Barcelona initially responded only by commenting beneath Messi’s social media post. The message said: “You fought with everything you had until your last breath. Your country and all of Barcelona are proud of the legacy you leave behind.”
That comment was later removed from the platform. Its deletion led to growing criticism of Barcelona’s position, with some questioning why the club had not offered a more prominent public response to a major moment in the career of one of its most celebrated former players.
Messi’s announcement attracted messages from several clubs. Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Augsburg all posted tributes after he confirmed that he was ending his international career.
The contrast between those public responses and Barcelona’s brief comment drew attention. Barcelona’s original wording acknowledged Messi’s effort and the pride felt by both Argentina and the club, but the fact that it was posted only as a reply and subsequently deleted became the focus of discussion.
Messi spent most of his career at Barcelona, making the club’s reaction especially notable. His announcement concerned his future with the Argentina national team, while the message from Barcelona referred to the legacy he had left for both his country and the club.
The incident has therefore created controversy not because of the content of Barcelona’s brief statement alone, but because it was removed after being published. The club has not been reported as having replaced the deleted comment with another response in the information available.
The episode followed a significant announcement from Messi, whose decision to end his international career immediately generated widespread interest across football. Other clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Augsburg, chose to mark the moment publicly with tributes, while Barcelona’s limited and later deleted response accentuated the scrutiny directed at the Catalan club.
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