If you understand at least 20 percent of French, you will see that this article title doesn’t make much grammatical sense, but damn it, we are Ad men, we are paid for being witty with words.😉  The football world (or the sporting world at large), was in a rude shock,when it was announced that the G.O.A.T (debatable by C.R.7 fans though) Lionel Andre Cucciniti Messi will be leaving Barcelona. This was not the usual yearly back and forth with the Board on contract extension; it was for good this time. To add salt to the existing injury, this was the year Messi wanted to stay. Fate!

Arriving at the famed La Masia Academy at the age of thirteen on the back of a stunted growth problem; twenty one years later, there are thirty-five club trophies and a plethora of individual awards to show for it. This exit hurts, even to non Barcelona fans. Camp Nou will miss those magic moments; the needle eyed passes, the superb life saving free kicks, the humility, the leadership; we will miss it all. On the upside, some Spanish club’s goal keepers would be doing thanksgiving as it is. E get why!😀

The Argentine maestro will be headed to Paris to continue a glorious career. According to Brand Finance, Messi’s departure could decrease Barcelona’s brand value by 11%. The club could lose € 137m in brand value; €77m in business revenue, €17m on match days and €43m in T-Shirt and merchandise sales! Talk of a GOAT! There’s bound to be increased spotlight on the French League. There will definitely be increased viewership; the bet is on that several sports media giants will be competing to sign a viewing right to bring the league to a wider audience. Let’s not talk of merch sales in football jerseys, surely, many Parisiens will be adorning the No.30 jersey in days to come. It's amazing what this man has done and is doing.

This piece is not to bring out any marketing or advertising lessons (sorry, not today), but rather, to celebrate a football creative who solved several briefs with his feet.

From Spain, Adios Messi; to France; Bienvenu Messi.