He didn’t deserve it — Ex-Barcelona star opens up about Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi’s shock exit from Barcelona in 2021 remains one of the most dramatic chapters in modern football.

Now, former Barça forward Martin Braithwaite has revealed his perspective on that moment, reflecting on the surprise, the admiration, and his belief that the Argentine deserved a much better farewell.

Speaking about his time at Camp Nou, Braithwaite admitted that Messi’s exit came out of nowhere. “It was strange because it happened suddenly, we were all expecting him to renew, everything was ready for the contract renewal, and suddenly he left the club,” the Danish striker explained.

The mood in the dressing room shifted instantly, with players struggling to process how the team’s icon could depart so abruptly.

Although their time as teammates lasted only a single season, Braithwaite insists the impact Messi had on the squad went far beyond the pitch.

He described the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner as a calm, approachable, and generous character, saying, “Leo is a very lovable person and helps us, and you feel comfortable with him. He was very calm. As for Leo as a player, I think I don’t need to say anything.”

For Braithwaite, the way Messi’s Barça story ended felt incomplete. The forward believes Messi should return to Camp Nou for one last match to close the chapter properly.

“He didn’t deserve that. I hope he can play his last match there because he truly deserves it,” Braithwaite concluded.

Messi, who spent over 20 years at Barcelona and became the club’s all-time top scorer, left for Paris Saint-Germain amid financial turmoil.

While he has since moved on, lifting trophies elsewhere, Braithwaite’s words echo the feelings of many fans: that a legend of Messi’s stature deserves a grand farewell under the lights of Camp Nou.