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Moment Messi kisses World Cup after winning the Golden Ball award
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Lionel Messi recently won the men's World Cup with Argentina, and his success has been celebrated far and wide - including on TikTok where an unexpected crossover with none other than Taylor Swift has taken place.
Now, we can't confirm if Messi is a Swifie but it looks like their fanbases have been commemorating the achievement of the world's greatest player by editing clips together throughout his football career to Swift's reflective track You're on Your Own, Kid from her recent record-breaking album Midnights.
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Often the videos use the bridge of the song as the clips of Messi at different ages play before ending with his recent World Cup victory.
The lyrics are: "From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes/ I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this/ I hosted parties and starved my body/ Like I'd be saved by a perfect kiss."
"The jokes weren't funny, I took the money/ My friends from home don't know what to say/ I looked around in a blood-soaked gown/ And I saw something they can't take away'
"Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned/Everything you lose is a step you take/So make the friendship bracelets/Take the moment and taste it/You've got no reason to be afraid”
Here are some of the most viral TikTok's from this Messi (Taylor's version) trend:
Though that's not the only Swift song that is being used in Messi edits, as fans have been using other songs from Midnightssuch as:
The Great War
A metaphor for surviving a difficult period of time, perhaps in this context it's to the 36-year-long wait for Argentina to win the World Cup once more...
"And we will never go back/ To that bloodshed, crimson clover/ Uh-huh, the worst was over/ My hand was the one you reached for/ All throughout the Great War/ Always remember/ Uh-huh, we're burned for better/ I vowed I would always be yours/ 'Cause we survived the Great War."
Karma
The part of the song fans have been using is where Swift is reflective on the setbacks she's faced and learned from but is still here despite them.
"Ask me what I learned from all those years/ Ask me what I earned from all those tears/ Ask me why so many fade, but I'm still here /(I'm still, I'm still here)"
Some of the TikTok include clips that reflect this theme for Messi - for example when Argentina came second in the 2014 World Cup and then show his remarkable achievements over the years including his World Cup win.
Turns out these football fan cams have been popping up everywhere on people's For You pages and have left people both confused yet emotional.
People have been scratching their heads over the Lionel Messi x Taylor Swift crossover Twitter/nicolegrech_
People have been scratching their heads over the Lionel Messi x Taylor Swift crossover Twitter/_vendog
People have been scratching their heads over the Lionel Messi x Taylor Swift crossover Twitter/_ceeves
Some even noted how they don't follow football but are still getting Messi compilations to Swift's music on their TikTok feed - perhaps the footballer will gain some new fans?
People have been scratching their heads over the Lionel Messi x Taylor Swift crossover Twitter/hustlekilljoy
People have been scratching their heads over the Lionel Messi x Taylor Swift crossover Twitter/EllynBriggs
Another person was also puzzled but noted the collaboration just "works."
This could be because both Messi and Swift are at the top of their game in their respective fields: football and music.
Messi has just won the World Cup and reached a new height in his legendary career, meanwhile Swift has also had a fantastic year following her Midnights album release.
She broke the 24-hour record of Spotify streams (228 million) and also became the only artist in history to claim all top ten entries on the Billboard Hot 100 in a single week - not to mention a sold-out tour.
People have been scratching their heads over the Lionel Messi x Taylor Swift crossover Twitter/BethPegler
The Messi x Swift edits appeared to have even made their way into Taylor Swift club night in Argentina...
Overall, this TikTok edit trend just proves football fans and Swifties are both as sentimental and passionate about their respective superstars.
While many will miss the excitement of World Cup matches for another four years, we will certainly miss the Messi (Taylor's Version) edits - but could we see another Swift-sport crossover on the internet in the future?
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