As Barcelona reeled from the reality that Lionel Messi really is leaving after 17 stellar years of trophy-laden success, former Barcelona and England star Gary Lineker was quick to salute the Argentinian's legacy.

"So sad watching a clearly very emotional Lionel Messi having to say goodbye to @FCBarcelona," tweeted Lineker, who spent three seasons with the Catalan giants in the late 1980s, winning a Spanish Cup and a Cup Winners Cup.