Messi: The Greatest? A T-Shirt's Worth Of Debate

Lionel Messi is an Argentinian football player, widely considered to be one of the greatest of all time. He has played for Barcelona, Inter Miami, and the Argentinian national team. Messi has a huge range of merchandise available, including t-shirts, jerseys, and hoodies. One of the t-shirts reads 'When they say Messi is better', a reference to the rivalry between Messi and fellow football legend, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lionel Messi's T-shirt tribute to his grandmother

Lionel Messi is one of the greatest-ever footballers, with over 500 career goals. He often pays tribute to his late grandmother, who encouraged him to play football and often took him to matches, by pointing two fingers to the sky after scoring a goal. Messi has continued to honour his grandmother in this way, even after her passing.

The iconic goal celebration has been immortalised on T-shirts, with designs featuring a graphic of Messi's two-fingered point to the sky, and the words, "Lionel Messi Iconic Goal Celebration". These T-shirts are available for purchase online from retailers such as Redbubble and Etsy, with prices starting at $7.

Messi himself also famously revealed a T-shirt message to fans after scoring against Barcelona's rivals, Real Madrid. The T-shirt read, "Sindrome X Fragil", bringing awareness to Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic condition that leads to emotional, mental, and sometimes physical problems. Messi has also spent time with children in Barcelona who suffer from the condition.

The T-shirts celebrating Messi's iconic goal celebration serve as a tribute not only to the football legend's remarkable career but also to his beloved grandmother, who played a significant role in shaping him into the player he is today.

Messi's goal celebration against Real Madrid

On April 23, 2017, Lionel Messi scored a last-minute goal to secure a 3-2 victory for Barcelona against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. This was Messi's 500th goal for Barcelona, and his second of the game. After scoring, Messi celebrated by whipping off his jersey and holding the side showing his name and number up to the Madrid fans. This iconic celebration was not well-received by the Madrid fans, and Messi was given a yellow card for removing his jersey.

Messi's celebration was unusual, as it carries a penalty of a yellow card, but he was not the first footballer to hold up their shirt at fans. It is unclear where Messi got the idea from, but it is possible that he was inspired by former Barcelona player Ronaldinho, who held up his shirt to fans after scoring a goal for Paris Saint-Germain in a victory against Marseille in 2002.

Messi's celebration against Real Madrid has been emulated by several other players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, who did it in the next Clasico meeting a few months later, in August 2017. Brazil international Richarlison also appeared to emulate the Messi celebration in 2019 in a Carabao Cup match for Everton against Lincoln City, although he held the jersey with the club badge facing the crowd.

Messi's shirt swap with Zinedine Zidane

Lionel Messi is known for his strict rules when it comes to swapping shirts with fellow players. While he's happy to exchange shirts with opponents, he usually doesn't ask for their shirts himself. However, he made a rare exception for Zinedine Zidane, a legendary player for Real Madrid.

Messi has said, "I don't ask for shirts, I usually swap them, but I asked Zidane once." The incident occurred during an El Clasico match between Barcelona and Real Madrid, two teams with a fierce rivalry. Despite the intense competition, Messi couldn't resist asking for Zidane's match-worn jersey. This exchange is particularly notable as Messi has only ever asked for a shirt swap twice in his career, the other being with PSG's Falaye Sacko.

Messi's extensive shirt collection, housed in his multi-million euro pad in Barcelona, includes jerseys from fellow Argentines, such as Angel Di Maria, Diego Milito, and Ezequiel Lavezzi, as well as friends Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Aguero. He also has shirts from football legends like Philipp Lahm, Francesco Totti, Gianluigi Buffon, and Yaya Toure. One of his most treasured shirts is that of Pablo Aimar, a player he admired greatly while growing up.

Messi's own shirts are highly sought-after by opponents, who view them as valuable memorabilia. While Messi usually doesn't initiate shirt swaps, he is gracious when his opponents want his jersey as a memento. However, he once turned down a shirt swap request from a teenage Alphonso Davies after a match where Barcelona suffered a heavy defeat.

Messi's 'phone call' gesture celebration

Lionel Messi is well-known for his iconic goal celebrations. However, one celebration in particular left fans confused. During a match against Celta Vigo, Messi celebrated his first goal by making a phone call gesture with his hand. This sparked speculation that he was referencing his contract negotiations with the club.

However, Messi quickly dispelled these rumours, revealing that the celebration was dedicated to his nephew, who had been trying to call him all day. Messi's brother, Rodrigo, was at the game with his children, and the nephew had been unsuccessfully trying to reach his uncle. The phone call gesture was simply Messi "returning" his nephew's call.

Messi's unique celebration sparked a range of theories, demonstrating the significance and influence of his gestures. This incident highlights how deeply invested fans are in Messi's actions, both on and off the field.

Messi's celebrations are often dedicated to his family, reflecting his strong family values. For instance, he frequently points two fingers towards the sky to honour his grandmother, Celia Olivera Cuccittini, who played a pivotal role in encouraging his football career. Additionally, after the birth of his second son, Mateo, Messi celebrated a goal by sucking his thumb, a familiar gesture to signify a newborn baby.

Messi's 'thumb-sucking' celebration for his son

Lionel Messi is one of the greatest football players of all time. His goal celebrations are often iconic and memorable, and one of his most famous celebrations is the thumb-sucking gesture dedicated to his children.

Messi first performed the thumb-sucking celebration in 2015 after the birth of his second son, Mateo. The football star had not trained for two weeks before the game and started the match on the bench. He came on in the second half and scored the winning goal, dedicating it to his newborn son with the thumb-sucking celebration. This goal was particularly significant as it helped Barcelona in their narrow La Liga title win that season, with the team ultimately finishing just one point ahead of their closest rivals.

The thumb-sucking celebration has since become a regular occurrence in football, with players using it to dedicate goals to their children. While Roma legend Francesco Totti is credited with making the gesture famous, it has been performed by other players such as Iniesta and Bartra, and even by players outside of football.

Messi is a family man, and his sons, Thiago and Mateo, have often been the inspiration behind his iconic goal celebrations. The thumb-sucking celebration is a heartwarming tribute from a father to his children, and it has certainly left a lasting impression on football fans around the world.

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