It's been almost a whole year since Lionel Messi and Barcelona 'broke up'. Even though the Argentine's departure came as a surprise and was difficult for the Spanish side, the Blaugrana paid tribute to him on his 35th birthday on Friday, June 24.
Apart from sharing their birthday wishes on social media, Xavi's team also compiled a video of their former captain's top moments and posted it on their website. It includes footage from his first match at the Camp Nou, as well as his subsequent appearances there, in addition to goals and assists, training sessions, his relationship with Neymar, and some of his press conferences.
Last summer, COVID-19 regulations prevented the 35-year-old from saying farewell to the supporters as he had hoped to do. As a result, as part of Barcelona's 125th-anniversary festivities in 2024, the club hopes the forward would participate in an event honoring his outstanding career in Catalonia.
Why did no Barcelona player commemorate Messi's birthday?
While Barcelona did set aside some time to commemorate the 35th birthday of one of their legends, it's noteworthy that no current players of the club have officially wished Lionel Messi a happy birthday. Although they didn't publicly congratulate the Paris Saint-Germain ace, it is possible that they have shared their wishes privately.
It's also important to note that not all of Barcelona's players are good friends with Messi, either. There had previously been reports that the forward's relationship with Gerard Pique and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are thought to be strained. In addition, the current Barca squad consists of various young players who did not have the luck to play besides the Argentine.
Messi and Pique, who had recently split from his long-time partner Shakira, are said to be feuding, with the latter allegedly being the driving force for the Argentine's exit last year. One of Leo's family friends even took things a step further last month when he posted an Instagram message slamming the Spanish defender.
Another reason the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's connection with Barcelona's players has soured is because of poor communication in the locker toom, as per ARA. His closest friends in Spain were two of the present captains, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, with whom he has an excellent rapport. It seems as though, it is not enough for them to show some public affecion towards their ex-teammate.
