Marques Bids Emotional Farewell to Barça After 12 Years

After 12 years in Barcelona colours, Marques has closed the book on his Barça story with a raw, emotional farewell that reads like a goodbye to a childhood home as much as to a club.

The midfielder, who arrived at La Masia as an eight-year-old and eventually broke into the first team with his senior debut against Mallorca in February 2026, used his official Instagram account to address coaches, team-mates, staff, family and fans in a long, heartfelt message.

He began by underlining the weight of the moment. After more than a decade at Camp Nou, he wrote that “the time has come to say goodbye to the club that has watched me grow up since I was eight,” describing every step of the journey as “truly worthwhile” – every season, training session, match, trip and victory.

But he didn’t romanticise the experience. Marques openly referenced “the toughest moments, the injuries, and the times filled with doubt and suffering,” stressing that those setbacks taught him lessons that shaped both his career and his character. All of it, he said, helped him reach the point he had dreamed of for so long: making his debut with the Barça first team, something he admitted he could never have imagined when he first walked into the academy as a child.

He spoke of “unforgettable, unique moments” that he will carry with him forever, and then turned the spotlight on those around him. Marques paid tribute to “all the coaches, team-mates (many of whom have become great friends), physios, doctors, staff members, and everyone who has been by my side over these past 12 years,” insisting each of them had helped shape the player and person he is today.

The message widened to his inner circle. He thanked his family – “especially my parents and sisters” – as well as his partner and friends for their unconditional support and for helping to turn his dream into reality. He made a point of underlining what the shirt has meant to him, saying he has worn the Barça badge “with great pride all these years” and promising that pride will not fade.

Then came the hardest line of all: the admission that walking away hurts. Marques called the decision “painful” but necessary for his development, and acknowledged that the way his exit has unfolded was “unexpected” and not how he had imagined saying goodbye to “the club of my life.” He framed his departure as an act of love for Barça, adding that over these 12 years he has learned to understand and respect the decisions made around him.

He leaves while wishing the club well for the future, but without softening the emotion of the moment.

Marques closed his letter with a final declaration of gratitude and identity. “Barça has given me everything,” he wrote, thanking the club for helping him grow, for teaching and challenging him, and for allowing him to live a dream that will stay with him forever.

The last line was as simple as it was telling of where his heart still lies: “Long live Barca, always.”