CELEBRITY
Tearfully, Messi bids Barcelona farewell
Lionel Messi fought back tears on Sunday (Aug 8) as he began a press conference at which he confirmed he is leaving Barcelona, where he has played his entire career.
The 34-year-old Argentinian superstar, six times a Ballon d’Or winner, has been out of contract since the end of June and Barca say they cannot afford to keep him, with Paris Saint-Germain widely expected to try to entice him to the Parc des Princes.
“This year, my family and I were convinced we were going to stay here, at home – this is what we wanted more than anything,” said a suited Messi as he struggled to contain his emotions.
Last year he sought to engineer a release from his contract in frustration at some poor showings in Europe by the club where he has won four Champions Leaguesbut ended up staying.
Last month Barcelona, battling huge debts, had said they were in agreement in principle with the player and his entourage on a new five-year deal on much reduced wages.
“The truth is I don’t know what to say,” said Messi, who signed for the Catalan giants as a 13-year-old.
“After 21 years I am leaving with my three Catalan Argentine children,” said Messi, who won 10 league titles with the club.
“I gave everything for this club from the first day that I arrived right to the last. I never imagined having to say goodbye.
“In recent days I have given lots of thought to what I can say and truth to tell I can’t think of anything.
“This is really difficult for me after so many years spent here – my entire life. I’m not ready for this,” he told a packed conference at the club as thousands of fans milled outside.
Messi did not say what his immediate plans were, but after French newspaper L’Equipe reported on Friday that he was set to join PSG after their manager Mauricio Pochettino told reporters that Messi was an “option”, the Argentinian confirmed that it was “a possibility”.
However, he insisted that at this moment in time, he has not agreed a move anywhere.
-AFP/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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