Lionel Messi said goodbye to a friend on Instagram and the soccer world exploded on Wednesday. Transfer season in soccer is wild and filled with rumors and happenstance, but when a player on a team says goodbye to another player you know something is likely to happen.
In this case, the best soccer player in the world posted the saddest Instagram video in the world, officially saying goodbye to another great young talent in Neymar, who is expected to transfer to Paris Saint-Germain before the transfer window closes.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXSt62SFYWj/
“It was a great pleasure to have shared all these years with you, friend @neymarjr,” Messi wrote on Instagram according to Google Translate. “I wish you good luck in this new stage of your life. See you tomorrow.”
Nothing is official yet, but all signs point to Neymar triggering a transfer from Barca at some point in the future. The video shows their kits and cleats next to one another in the locker room, then features a montage of photos of them together, celebrating goals and trophies like Barca fans dreamed of when the two arrived at the club.
Neymar’s potential transfer is a story that’s dominated soccer as most international leagues are just gearing up for their regular seasons. Neymar was the talk of the American El Clasico on Saturday and Barca’s entire American tour, and for good reason. A move to PSG is not only incredibly expensive, but changes the dynamic of global soccer. The French league isn’t as prestigious as the British Premier League or La Liga, but the signing makes PSG a significant player in the Champions League , and Neymar’s talent is undeniable.
So is Messi’s, of course, but seeing him post a sad farewell to a friend makes it seem like his departure is imminent. Messi or not, it’s a move that makes Barca worse.
