1st October
Leo's last game
📍Barcelona , Spain 🇪🇸
➟ ▪︎ Camp Nou Stadium
SECOND HALF HAD started and this time , Messi came back with an Argentina shirt. every player had come back onto the pitch and were running after the ball. the fans — both Barcelona fans and Real Madrid fans— were all nervous. Emily and her family sat on the edge of their seats , all getting hope ,only for it to deflate again once a goal wasn't contributed.
it's now 65 minutes in and no goals were made. the sweat on the players' faces were visible and it was clear that they were all breathing hard , their lungs searching for air.
a few substitutes were made for both teams but Leo stayed on the pitch. Emily could see how hard this is for him , especially since it's his last game today.
suddenly , the fans chanted Messi's name. the chants grew louder and louder and it sounded like music to Emily's ears. it was beautiful.
their voices trembled as they chanted for him , knowing that it was his last game on the pitch and as a footballer. they were not ready to lose him as one.
Emily lifted her head to look at her father who looked up. he looked up at the thousands of people chanting his name. he looks at the Camp Nou. he looks at his teammates.
he wasn't ready to throw it all away. to quit playing football. to leave it behind but he knew he had to. they knew how much it hurt him to do this.
it was now almost 80 minutes and Leo got back into the football. he played alongside his teammates , giving them an opening or trying to score a goal , but so were Madrid.
the game was intense and there were a lot of times where the fans had to held their brearhs. but not once did the chanting of Messi's name stop. the Greatest Footballer of all time. He made football better. He was an example to younger footballers and everyone who loved to watch him.
Emily looked nervously at the scoreboard and everyone's heart sunk when they were given 3 minutes extra.
fans of FC Barcelona were given hope when Barcelona got a free-kick opportunity in a dangerous position. Leo is near the ball , alone. he takes a few steps back and inhale a deep breath. there is no one else who wants to score this goal more than him.
there were silence in the stadium for a while. until Leo shoots and scores. the goalkeeper had no chance of stopping him. the stadium erupted in chants , screams and celebations.
Leo runs and puts his hands in the air before boing infront of the crowd and everyone cheered for him.
Barcelona finally won the game within 3 minutes ans Emily smiled hard with her family. she watched as her father had tears on his face. she knows this must be hard for him.
she knew that this was the worst day in his career.
they listened as he spoke and cried on the pitch, as he thanked everyone for everything. this day had to come , no matter what they did. some were prepared but some were not.
they weren't ready to let him go.
Emily listened intensely as her father spoke through the tears and she smiled as he spoke.
then there were raindrops falling one by one but no one cared. everyone wanted to listen to him , to see him on the football pitch one more time.
Emily smiled as he was done and there was a round of applause for atleast 5 minutes.
after everything was done and the photos were all taken , Leo went to the back where he met the rest of his teammates , as well as the other professional footballers.
Emily went with Antonella and the boys to the backroom while the others went to the car that was in a secluded parking lot.
Emily peeked her head around the corner and saw her father talking with some other professional footballers that went and supported his retirement.
"Papa" she said and he smiled widely as they walked over to him. almost immediately, the two engulfed each other in a hug. "that was amazing " she said and he smiled and kissed her forehead.
he kissed Antonella on the lips and kissed the boys' foreheads and Emily noticed the three people standing in front of them.
"oh , this is my daughter Emily. Emily , this is my good friend , Ronaldinho , his wife Janaina and their son , Joao" Leo introduced them and Emily shook their hands.
"nice to meet you' Emily said and they all smiled. "same here" Ronaldinho spoke.
"well , thanj you for coming , i truly appreciate it" Leo said and hugged Ronaldinho. "i'm just thankful that i can be here" the Brazilian said.
"good luck to you and your family" Ronaldinho said and Anto smiled at him before giving him and his wife a hug as they all parted ways.
"i'll go fetch my bag and i'll be right back" Leo said and they all nodded , watching as he went back into the lockerooms.
Anto put an arm around Emily's shoulder before walking towards the exit .
Leo walked out with Gavi , Pedri , Ansu , Frenkie and Mikky following him. "they wanted to say goodbye since we leave tomorrow" Leo spoke and Emily nodded her head.
"we'll be iutside talking with Ney and Sonia" Leo said before kissing her forehead once again and walking outside where Neymar and Sonia were waiting.
Emily turned to her friends just as Delfi and Junior walked around the corner. "i can't believe you're going away tomorrow" Delfi said and crushed the girl in a hug.
"i'll miss you guys too" Emily said. "group hug?" Pedri asked and they all joined in on a more softer hug.
"don't grow up too fast" Mikky said , fake crying, causing Emily to laugh. "trust me , i won't" she spoke.
"and i want all the updates on everything" Delfi spoke , tears threatening to spill. "i will , don't worry" Emily answered.
"and remember , no boys. tell them me and Pedri can shoot guns" Gavi said and Emily laughed at the statement. "it would be too heavy , you'd fall over if you hold one" she joked and he feigned hurt.
"we'll miss you , make sure you come visit" Frenkie said and she nodded her head. "and make cute older friends for me and Pedri" Ansu said and Emily gave him a look.
"there's a lot of women who throw themselves at you everday" Emily said and Ansu waves her off. "i'm kidding , but look after yourself." Ansu said sincerely.
"and please study so you can give us some of that lawyer money" Junior spoke , and they all laughed at him.
"group hug , once again?" Emily asked and they all modded their heads before they all egulfed her in a hug.
they stayed like that for a couple of seconds before pulling away. "bye , i love you guys" she said after she saw her father standing in the door with a smile.
"we love you too" they said in unison and watched as she walked towards her father who out his arm around her shoulder once they were ourside.
"time to start a new chapter , okay?" he said and she smiled as he kissed their forehead and they walked towards the car that had the rest of the family.
————
A/N:
— y'all down for a Jude Bellingham
book after this
one because i'm
down for it :)
— sorry for any spelling or
grammar mistakes ♡
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𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 | l.messi
Fanfiction'i was living in a different world , before i met my little girl' - leo messi. world's greatest footballer , a good husband , a great father and a huge idol to many. - Emily Hidalgo. his 14 year old daughter. taken away by her mother by birth. ...
