FC Barcelona thinks #WeAreAllLeoMessi, but there’s a small problem: not many agree

The world’s greatest footballer, the holder of five Ballon d’Or awards, 29-year-old Lionel Messi is an unhappy man.

First, there were the events in the United States of America in June. Just when it finally seemed that the Atomic Flea had overcome his bogey with the national team, it all came undone. In the final of the Copa America against defending champions Chile, Messi missed a penalty in the shootout and Chile went on to win. Scenes of Messi, broken and teary-eyed, were flashed across television screens all over the world, but more shock was in store: the Argentinian striker implied that he was retiring from international football by announcing that the national team was “over” for him.

Then to rub it in further on Sunday, he had to sit and watch his biggest rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, do what he still hasn’t been able to do yet (not due to a lack of trying): win a global title as Portugal defeated France to win Euro 2016. True, Ronaldo hardly played the match, being substituted after picking up a injury early in the first half, but that must have been scant consolation for Messi, and the image of an overjoyed Ronaldo picking up a trophy must have stung.

Tax stung

But if he had expected some solace at his club home Barcelona FC, he was to be mistaken. A court case that had dragged on for several years finally reached its conclusion – possibly at the worst possible time for the Argentinian superstar. A Barcelona court found him and his father Jorge Messi guilty of tax fraud of up to €4.1 million and gave him a 21-month prison sentence. There is a caveat though: under Spanish law, prison terms of less than two years can be served under probation, which means neither Messi will have to go to jail.

It was a complicated situation, but his club FC Barcelona muddied the waters further. On Saturday, they launched a social media campaign with the hashtag, #WeAreAllLeoMessi.

“Using the hashtag #WeAreAllLeoMessi while posting a photo or message with both hands open, the campaign is encouraging all Barça fans to express their sympathy for the greatest footballer in the world by voicing their unconditional support on social networks,” said the club, and even its president got in on the act.

Unfortunately for Barcelona and Messi, the world of Twitter wasn’t too impressed. Responses came immediately but most of them, rather than avowedly getting behind Messi, questioned why Barcelona were trying to gain support for someone who had been convicted of tax fraud.

Some, though, speculated that there was more to the matter than what met the surface. The chief of Spain’s top football league La Liga had already admitted that he was afraid Messi might leave and reports had already surfaced of a shock Lionel Messi move to English giants Chelsea. Barcelona were, hence, basically trying to do damage control.

Damage control

Of course, Barcelona could have been a little more subtle in their move. Lionel Messi may claim that he wasn’t aware of his financial dealings, shifting the blame to his father, but even despite the exalted status he enjoys in Barcelona and even the world – not many people are going to readily come out in support of a millionaire footballer who was found to have circumvented laws to make more millions. No, not even Messi.

But look at it as Barcelona trying to show their biggest superstar that they’re firmly behind him in his hour of darkness in the hope that he doesn’t run off to Chelsea billionaire owner Roman Abramovich’s outstretched arms and it makes sense. The Barcelona Football Blog provided a much more measured view of the entire furore, criticising the campaign but also deriding those who called Messi a tax cheat. They also saw Barcelona’s move as a way to assuage many Messi fans who had earlier complained that the team did not look out for its own:

For years, the highways and byways of Barça Twitter have been full of people screaming about how the club doesn’t support Messi in his times of trouble. Rumors come up, allegations come up, and the club does nothing. The drug money laundering stuff, and nothing. Drug rumors, and nothing. Those same people called the board a passel of gits because they aren’t supporting their star, wondering “What is wrong with those fools?”

Well, apparently, those “fools” aren’t deaf. They listen, even if this “support” is the equivalent of running up with a match to a building that’s on fire, wondering why nobody is welcoming your assistance. “What? This doesn’t help?” No. What it does do is make the gesture look silly, which again, is what it is. But let’s be clear about what the club is doing

The final verdict? Well, tried, Barcelona but it was bad execution. To use a footballing metaphor, the idea was correct – to rally around Messi and in the process, score brownie points to make him reconsider any thoughts he might have had of leaving Catalonia for London. But instead of passing to the right man, the shot was taken too early – and has flown over the bar.