Lionel Messi (1987-), Argentine footballer
The figure of the player faded away, holding the tissue paper presented by the club in his hand, his eyes misty with tears. 21 years ago, it was this tissue paper that witnessed the beginning of his legend. Soccer, in the flood of commercialization, has risen to become the world's No. 1 sport, but it has also made the sport lose its initial innocence.
Soccer commentator He Wei was overwhelmed with emotion when he quoted the lyrics of Red Bean in commenting on Messi's departure. We all know that Messi's destiny with Barcelona is destined to have an end, but who would have expected this day to come so suddenly, driven by business and interests, Messi's departure seems so decisive.
Messi's achievements in the soccer world have long exceeded the soccer itself. 21 years of unremitting efforts, so that Messi in the green field every time out, every minute of hard work, every goal and assist, have become a self-transcendent witness.
It is the drive to commercialize sports that has shaped the myth of Messi today. The media buzz and traffic support has allowed Messi to reap countless sponsorships and roll in the wealth. Sports technology, fueled by capital, has prolonged Messi's highlights and career. Countless children around the world have fallen in love with soccer under the inspiration of Messi, and that plastic bag boy in Afghanistan may be a warm story brought about by the commercialization of soccer.
However, in the face of commercialization, sentiment becomes so fragile.Crow broke up with Real Madrid three years ago, the Portuguese striker clashed with the president over salary treatment and eventually chose to leave. This year, Real Madrid captain Ramos also left, he failed to wait for an ideal contract. Both of these two pivotal figures in Real Madrid's history failed to spend their lives at the Bernabeu.
Perhaps the significance of Ramos and Crowe ending up at Real Madrid is less pure than that of Messi retiring at Barcelona. Ramos started from Sevilla, Crow played in Sporting Lisbon and Manchester United before joining Real Madrid. Without Barcelona, there may not be today's Messi, is the red and blue army cured Messi's "growth hormone deficiency", to give him a stage to display his talent, but also Barcelona, breaking the myth of modern soccer about "loyalty".
Barcelona is one of today's soccer giants that pays the most attention to "soccer DNA". They support their own youth training system, and the growth stories of Xavi, Iniesta, Messi and others are very popular. Xavi didn't end up at Camp Nou, but moved to Al Sadd; Iniesta didn't either, he joined Kobe Victory. Barcelona's midfield duo failed to hold on to the Camp Nou, much to our regret. Perhaps, compared to Harvey and Iniesta, more omnipotent Messi, closer to the idea of a lifetime for a city, but all of this, was Barcelona's an announcement mercilessly broken.
Those Messi fans who have been there for more than a decade have expected Messi to establish himself in the first team, and he has! They expected him to win the La Liga title, and he did! Expecting him to conquer the top of Europe, he did! Expect him to win the Ballon d'Or, Messi did, and six times! This year, Messi won his first major championship for the national team in the Copa America. Messi from the fans in the heart of the perfect career, just in Barcelona successfully retired, but trapped in the commercial and monetary constraints, he can no longer do.
When a silent man starts to explode, the hidden problems behind it are even ten times more serious than what the media reports. Barcelona in the past year or so, Messi and the top of the conflict between the continuous, fans seem to see the possibility of breaking up, but I did not expect the day really came, and came so suddenly. Once hand in hand to old age, the promise of the imminent signing, now can only be reduced to tears on Messi's face, but can not erase the commercialization, capital and money on the erosion of the innocence of soccer.
