Leo Messi, Neymar, Xavi and Andres Iniesta get Simpsonized

First it was Chelsea, now some of Barcelona's best have gotten The Simpsons treatment to kick off a range of merchandise set to launch this year. Neymar, Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta are the first members of the squad to be turned into four-fingered characters. Perhaps fittingly, Xavi is the only one depicted without the hint of a smile on his face. A cartoon version of Jose Mourinho must be nearby.

"It is important to note that the “Simpsonized” players will only be used for merchandising purposes – there are no plans for them to actually appear in the TV series," Barcelona's official website says, somehow refraining from swapping out certain letters of that sentence for various currency symbols. The Simpsons will air a special World Cup themed episode this month in which Homer becomes a referee, though.

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Brooks Peck

is the editor of Dirty Tackle on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him or follow on Twitter! Follow @BrooksDT