In 2021, after 20 years at Barcelona, Leo Messi stood at a crossroads: commit to the club for life, or leave on a free and end the most successful spell any player has ever had with one team.

No one knew what would happen — not Barcelona, not Messi, and certainly not us.

As partners of both Messi and La Liga, we worked with Budweiser to ensure a meaningful presence at football’s defining moments (see: 644). This was clearly one of them. But shooting with Messi months before his decision, how could we create something that would work either way — and that he’d be comfortable posting at such a sensitive time?

Our solution: celebrate the indelible mark he’d already left on Barcelona, capturing the city and its people as they spoke about how Messi had changed their lives. The idea worked as both a farewell and a statement of continued loyalty.

When the surprise news came that he was leaving, we were ready. We published first — an emotional tribute from fans to Leo, and from Leo to fans. Shared on Messi’s own channels, the response was incredible. Once again, Budweiser had captured the emotion of a historic moment in football.