Lionel Messi has won everything club soccer has to offer, but even he couldn’t control himself after Barcelona beat Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League.
The superstar didn’t celebrate Sergi Roberto’s game-winning goal with his teammates, as is soccer’s custom, but he did so with Barcelona’s most ardent fans at Nou Camp. Messi’s moment of madness embodied what Barcelona fans around the world were feeling, having witnessed their team score three goals in the last seven minutes to achieve what seemingly was impossible.
Thankfully, cameras were on hand to capture the time Messi, one of the sport’s all-time greats, acted just like the rest of us.
The Internet is treating this photo taken from inside the Messi scrum as the iconic image of the historic scene.
UEFA.com’s Graham Hunter poetically described the bedlam.
“The greatest player in Blaugrana history was, like the rest of the world when he produces his little football miracles, reduced to the need to roar at the sky, to hug, to carouse, to pump fists,” Hunter wrote.
Fans continued to worship Messi long after the final whistle, with many sticking around to mob his car as he left the stadium.
It’s good to be the king, especially on a night of miracles.
