Brilliant reason why Lionel Messi to Real Madrid is trending on transfer deadline day

Liam Corless
Messi to Madrid? We don't think so

Football often dominates the sporting agenda in the UK but on January’s transfer deadline day it was a different type of transfer that stole the headlines.

It’s been a quiet winter transfer window for Premier League teams but news of F1‘s biggest driver switch in years ensured Sky Sports News’ guests had something to discuss on Thursday.

Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes, where he has been since 2013, to join legendary Italian team Ferrari from 2025, where he will partner Charles Leclerc.

What’s Messi got to do with this?

Soon after that news emerged, a seemingly unrelated topic started trending online: ‘Messi to Madrid’.

Hamilton’s impending move to Ferrari prompted some social media users to ask others to explain Hamilton’s switch in car manufacturers in football terms.

Many of the responders said it would be like Barcelona legend Lionel Messi joining fierce Spanish rivals Real Madrid.

Messi joined Barcelona in 2000 and spent 21 years there, establishing himself as one of the greatest players of all-time before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain, and needless to say the prospect of him joining Real Madrid is pretty much unthinkable.

Messi left PSG for Inter Miami in 2023, and he has since been joined by a number of his superstar former teammates from his Barcelona days, with Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba all joining him in Florida.

About The Author

Liam has 10 years' experience in journalism, having previously operated as the Manchester Evening News' associate football editor, and as an editor for the Daily Mirror, the Daily Express and the Daily Star.