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An unbelievable day transpired on Sunday. For many months and years, there were speculations about Lionel Messi not able to continue with FC Barcelona. Pay cuts, lack of success and fall-out with other members are reported to have played a big role in contributing to the discourse built on Lionel Messi. On Sunday, the unthinkable finally happened. Messi formally announced that he was not going to continue with FC Barcelona, bringing the curtains down on one of the greatest careers in the history of football.
For 21 years, from signing a contract using toilet paper to becoming one of the greatest in the world, Messi has transformed Barcelona into something bigger and better. Lionel Messi’s contributions both on the field and off the field have made him the best in the business. In the end, Lionel Messi fell victim to the Financial Fair Play of the club. Salary Cap is the maximum amount that a club can spend on the salaries of players, coaches, trainers registered with the first team. Compared to last year, the salary cap for the top three clubs Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid has been reduced by almost 50 percent.
Looking at the situation with Lionel Messi, we take a look back at some of the footballers whose tenure with their club ended in tears and heartbreak.
If one has to look at Messi’s current situation, then one cannot overlook the way how Andres Iniesta played his last game. Andres Iniesta is one of the greatest footballers to have come out of Spain and FC Barcelona. When he was subbed off in the 82nd minute in 2018, Camp Nou was flooded with tears. Iniesta had spent 17 glorious years in Barcelona, helping Spain win the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and also several trophies for FC Barcelona.
In a famous picture that went viral, Iniesta was sitting alone in the centre circle at Camp Nou until the early hours of the morning, soaking in his surroundings one last time. In 16 seasons, Iniesta won nine La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues, six Copa del Rey trophies, three Super Cups and three Club World Cups. Apart from the FIFA World Cup, Iniesta also helped Spain become the first nation to win back-to-back Euro titles.
John Terry was considered as one of the greatest defenders in the history of his generation. He was named the UEFA defender of the Year for three out of the five years from 2005 to 2009. It was Terry and his brilliance as captain that allowed Chelsea to match up to the likes of the Manchester clubs in the Premier League.
His consistency for Chelsea made him one of the ultimate fan favorites. After Chelsea celebrated their Premier League victory in the 2016/17 season, Terry played his 717th and final match for Chelsea. It was in a 5-1 home win over Sunderland. Coming off in the 28th minute (the substitution board went up in the 26th minute, the same as that of his shirt number), Terry received a guard of honor from his teammates. It was not the ideal way to finish his last match.
Iker Casillas is the ultimate legend of Real Madrid. His tenure coincided with the time when the club reached the peak of its dominance. His strong performance for Real Madrid meant that Spain benefited. Casillas has played 725 games for Madrid and has won every trophy. There is the winner of three European Cups and five league titles, as well as two European Championships and the World Cup with Spain. But, in the last few years, Real Madrid was divided and Casillas bore the brunt of it.
When Mourinho dropped him in December 2012, the consequences were fatal. Casillas’s reputation became increasingly damaged, with the goalkeeper being accused of leaking dressing room secrets and of lacking professionalism. Florentino Perez, the Real Madrid president, got an opportunity to show him the door. When Casillas gave a press conference, it was in an empty stadium, no trophies, no videos, no embrace. There was nobody. A sad ending cannot be much more painful than this.
For 16 years, Raul Gonzalez was one of the stars in the Real Madrid team. But, the emergence of Cristiano Ronaldo saw him not getting enough chances. According to marca.com, there was also controversy over his shirt number. New signing Cristiano Ronaldo wanted it, but Raul wouldn’t relinquish it. This was the beginning of the end for Raul Gonzalez. Raul played his first game for Real Madrid against Real Zaragoza. His last match would come against the same opponents. In his final match, he scored a goal but his chances of a great farewell were dented when he suffered an ankle injury. It was not the ideal way for Raul to leave the football pitch.
Daniele de Rosi is considered as one of the best players to have come out of the Serie A. De Rossi made his professional debut with Roma during the 2001–02 season, and made his Serie A debut the following year. With the club, he won the Coppa Italia twice in 2007 and 2008, and the 2007 Supercoppa Italiana. He was named Serie A Young Footballer of the Year in 2006,. He was also the Serie A Italian Footballer of the Year in 2009. De Rossi inherited the captaincy of Roma at the start of the 2017–18 season, following the retirement of Francesco Totti. He helped Roma to the Champions League semi-final for the first time in the Champions League era.
Over the years, de Rosi wanted to retire from Roma at the right time. But, he did not get a contract and he had to go to Baca Juniors in Argentina. After a couple of years there, de Rosi finally retired from football. In later interviews, de Rosi stated that he felt his last day with Roma was his “real retirement”.
