The Catalan side launched the hashtag to gather support for the Argentine in the wake of his conviction, but fans on Twitter have used it to criticize the player and the club.

EXTRA TIME

When Barcelona launched its hashtag campaign to gather support for Lionel Messi in the wake of his conviction for tax fraud, the club must have expected fans across the globe would get behind the best player on the planet.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was sentenced to 21 months in jail, alongside his father, while the forward has been fined two million euro ($2.2 million), after they were found guilty of defrauding Spain's tax authority of €4.1 million ($4.5 million) between 2007 and 2009.

Barca launched the #WeAreAllLeoMessi campaign on Twitter to generate support from the club's fans across the world, but the initiative to get people to give their backing to a multi-millionaire convicted of dodging taxes has backfired - who would have guessed?

#WeAreAllLeoMessi No we're not! Pay your taxes and have some dignity!! #WeAreNotLeoMessi — Ralph (@RalphTheWiseguy) July 9, 2016

#WeAreAllLeoMessi is the worst campaign in years. Why would you support tax fraud? — Alex Verhaar (@alex_verhaar) July 9, 2016

@FCBarcelona Have the lunatics taken over your Twitter account, #WeAreAllLeoMessi "Please support our convicted tax evading employee" Clowns — Shano (@SparkyPaw) July 9, 2016

When bananas were expensive, I put them through the self serve as carrots.



We're all criminals#WeAreAllLeoMessi — Sharpy (@j0sharp) July 9, 2016

#WeAreAllLeoMessi hashtag is the biggest calculated mistake since Messi's tax return — Ed DeCesare (@EdDeCesare) July 9, 2016

one time I stole a ten quid from by brother when he left his wallet in the room #WeAreAllLeoMessi — TwatBrigade (@TwatterTheBerry) July 9, 2016

Because I too have Zero world cups and don't pay taxes... oh wait. But I live in a tax free country. #WeAreAllLeoMessi — Sid Thor (@SidThor) July 9, 2016

Seriously, the hashtag #WeAreAllLeoMessi is so stupid. "We are all Leo Messi" = we are all criminals who don't pay our taxes? — Marcus Karoumi (@MKaroumi) July 9, 2016

#WeAreAllLeoMessi the worst PR stunt by a football club since Liverpool came up with this beaut.... pic.twitter.com/kMxSmZakZk — Walter Smith (@mancitysmith) July 9, 2016

I, too, earn an absurd amount of millions and yet felt compelled to defraud the country who gave me my livelihood. #WeAreAllLeoMessi — Milanista Esq. (@LaDiavolina) July 9, 2016

Quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. And I'm living through #Brexit. #WeAreAllLeoMessi https://t.co/RcRB3Vo6h2 — Zoë (@ZoeMarkham) July 9, 2016

CUZ PAYING TAXES IS SOOOOO OVERRATED #WeAreAllLeoMessi #WorstHashtagEverConceived — Reilly Weaver (@ReillyWeaver) July 9, 2016

#WeAreAllLeoMessi I too have spectacularly missed penalty kicks... :( — pacciareddhra (@LaRondinella_89) July 9, 2016

The world's second best player, but number one in terms of catastrophic PR balls-up.



#WeAreAllLeoMessi — Darren (@DarrenMWinter) July 9, 2016