CELEBRITY
What next for Messi after Barca departure?
In a bombshell development, Barcelona announced on Thursday (Aug 5) that superstar and six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi would leave the club after 18 years.
The Catalan side said that financial regulations imposed by La Liga would prevent them from retaining their highest-ever goalscorer, which begs the question: What next for Messi?
Manchester City
When Messi asked to leave Barca in summer 2020, he was expected to link up with former coach Pep Guardiola in Manchester.
However, with City looking like they have moved on, signing playmaker Jack Grelish and reports linking them with Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, this avenue seems closed to the Argentine.
The Abu Dhabi controlled owners of City have deep pockets, though, and might see this as an opportunity that is too good to miss.
Paris St Germain
Perhaps the most likely move abroad. One of the few clubs in world football who could afford his wages, PSG have been linked with moves for Messi ever since they were taken over by Qatari Sports Investments in 2011.
With fellow countryman Mauricio Pochettino at the helm of the Ligue 1 side, former team mate and close friend Neymar and the electric Kylian Mbappe as potential strike partners, Messi might well prove the missing piece of the jigsaw in their quest to finally win the Champions League.
Staying at Barcelona
Some observers believe this announcement to be a major calling of La Liga’s bluff from Barca.
They say the best player in the world will leave the league because of league-imposed constraints in a bid to get La Liga to loosen their financial fair play (FFP) regulations to allow him to stay.
If that is the case, it is a bold move, with league chief Javier Tebas having frequently criticised the club’s financial situation and recently repeating that they need to drastically reduce their wage bill in order to retain Messi.
Whatever the outcome, it allows them to absolve themselves of responsibility in their fans’ eyes over the whole situation.
-Reuters
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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