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Lionel Messi Offers Four-Word Response to Barcelona’s La Liga Title Triumph

Barcelona’s all-time record goalscorer took to social media in the wake of his former club’s success.
Lionel Messi (left) won 10 La Liga title with Barcelona.
Lionel Messi (left) won 10 La Liga title with Barcelona. | Johnnie Izquierdo/Alex Caparros-UEFA/UEFA/Getty Images

Barcelona claimed their 29th La Liga crown on Sunday night, and their greatest ever player, Lionel Messi, took to social media to congratulate his former club with a simple message: “Campeones!!! Visca el Barça!!!”

Barça were able to clinch the title by beating Clásico rivals Real Madrid at Camp Nou, extending their winning run in the top flight to 11 games. A sensational Marcus Rashford free kick set the hosts on their way against a Madrid team merely focussed on not brawling one another, then Ferran Torres rounded off a flowing team move to double Barça’s lead in the first half.

Dani Olmo’s flick, which presented Torres with a glorious opening, was Messi-esque, and the Argentine was doubtless tuned in to Sunday’s ongoings in Catalonia after dazzling in Inter Miami‘s 4–2 victory over Toronto FC the previous day.

The reigning MLS Cup holders sit third in the Eastern Conference, having won half of their first 12 games. Messi, meanwhile, has 12 goal contributions in 11 outings, including nine goals. He remains in fine form heading into his sixth World Cup, which he hasn’t fully committed to yet.


Lionel Messi’s Social Media Response to Barcelona’s La Liga Triumph

Lamine Yamal, Lionel Messi shirts
Past and present. | Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Woeful financial mismanagement forced Messi out of Barcelona after 21 blissful years in 2021. The Argentine certainly didn’t want to leave Catalonia, but there was no bad blood. It’s a city he adores, and a club that helped him blossom into an all-time great.

Thus, Messi still relishes the Blaugrana’s triumphs. After his former club sealed the La Liga title on a rather novel occasion as their fiercest competitive rivals were the defeated opposition, the 38-year-old posted an image of Flick’s squad on his Instagram story with the words: “Campeones!!! Visca el Barça!!!”

For those who haven’t yet dabbled with Catalan on Duolingo, that translates into: “Champions!!! Long live Barça!!!”


How Many Trophies Have Barcelona Won Since Lionel Messi Left?

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona squad
Barça have won back-to-back La Liga titles. | Javier Borrego/Europa Press/Getty Images

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner claimed a whopping 34 major honors with Barcelona, including 10 La Liga titles. Messi’s Barça retained their crown on multiple occasions, and the Argentine left in 2021 having helped the Blaugrana conquer the continent four times.

Champions League glory has continued to elude Barça since Messi‘s exit, with Flick’s side following last season’s cruel semifinal exit with a disappointed quarterfinal elimination at the hands of domestic rivals Atlético Madrid.

Still, that wasn‘t enough to dampen the mood in Catalonia on Sunday night. This was their third La Liga title celebration in a post-Messi world, having won their first with the Argentine‘s former teammate, Xavi Hernández, in 2023. Barcelona also have a Copa del Rey to their name and three Spanish Super Cups.

Flick, who has said this job will be his last in soccer management, won’t be satisfied until Barça are recognized as Europe‘s finest again. His team are close.


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James Cormack
JAMES CORMACK

James Cormack is a writer for SI FC. Opting against a football coaching undergraduate degree at the last minute, he instead decided to take on a six-month internship with 90min in 2019 and hasn't looked back. Cormack's current SEO focus means he tends to venture to the land of match previews and predicted lineups, but he also has a wealth of experience in news and feature writing. A passion for soccer's history and the European game often takes his work beyond the familiarity of the Premier League, but it's with Tottenham Hotspur where his strongest allegiance lies.