Lionel Messi is now officially a member of Paris Saint-Germain, having signed a two-year contract that will pay him an incredible £35 million each season. Fans eagerly awaited his arrival at Le Bourget airport, where he was met with cheers and excitement from diehard PSG supporters who were camping out early in the morning to welcome him to their beloved team. Just days after shedding tears during his final farewell from Barcelona, the 34-year-old Argentine was seen waving to his new fans while wearing a Paris-themed shirt, looking absolutely overjoyed to be joining the club.
After leaving his former club Barcelona, Lionel Messi has now officially joined Paris Saint-Germain, as shown in a photo where he proudly holds up the team’s jersey.
Just before the official announcement, PSG created a teaser trailer that depicted the player in the middle of the field. They posted this sneak preview on Twitter to create excitement for the announcement.
Earlier today, Messi was seen sporting the PSG kit, and he will wear his familiar No. 30 shirt from his Barcelona days. PSG’s acquisition of Messi rounds off an incredible summer transfer window for the club, having signed the captains of both Real Madrid and Barcelona on free transfers. The club now boasts one of the most expensive forward lines in history, with Messi’s contract being only slightly less than Neymar’s reported £37 million per year deal. Kylian Mbappe completes the star-studded front three, although his contract with PSG ends next year, and he has reportedly refused multiple offers to renew it, hoping for a free transfer to Real Madrid. Messi expressed his excitement about moving to PSG, stating that the club aligns perfectly with his football ambitions, and is determined to help build something special for the team and their dedicated fans.
As Messi gets ready to sign his contract with Paris Saint-Germain, he sits next to the club’s president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
Messi is seen donning the training gear of his fresh team while undergoing a routine medical check-up with a positive and happy expression, giving a thumbs up.
The medical examination for Messi has been completed as he prepares to join Paris Saint-Germain. The enthusiasm of PSG supporters for Messi has been evident as his replica jerseys were sold out within minutes after the announcement of his confirmation on Tuesday evening. However, it remains to be seen how his arrival will impact Mbappe’s willingness to stay and whether PSG can keep him without violating UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations. Messi has not trained since winning the Copa America with Argentina last month, so it is possible that he will not debut until the game against Reims on August 29. He will wear the No. 30 shirt, which he wore during his first season at Barcelona 16 years ago.
As Lionel Messi arrived in Paris on Tuesday, he greeted his fans and waved at them while wearing a t-shirt with the phrase ‘Ici c’est Paris’. This phrase means ‘Here is Paris’ and is commonly used in PSG merchandise and branding.
Messi completed his medical examination at the American Hospital in Paris, wearing a PSG face mask and acknowledging fans before signing a contract with the team for two years, with a potential extra season. Barcelona has been continually attempting to repurchase Neymar since PSG paid his hefty buyout fee four years ago. Despite becoming a free agent after his previous contract with Barcelona ended, Messi was anticipated to rejoin the team after constructive discussions with all parties involved.
Lionel Messi looked delighted as he and his spouse Antonella hopped on a private plane bound for Paris, where they are set to finalize a contract with PSG.
On Tuesday, Messi was spotted at the airport as he prepares to bid farewell to LaLiga after agreeing to a two-year contract to join a team in France.
Prior to passing through airport security for his flight to sign his PSG contract, Messi shared an embrace with those bidding him farewell. Due to LaLiga’s financial rules, the 34-year-old was unable to sign with his previous team and will now join fellow Rosario native Mauricio Pochettino at the Parc des Princes. In photos captured at a dinner in Ibiza, Messi was seen in the company of four PSG players – Neymar, Angel Di Maria, Marco Verratti, and Leandro Paredes – the day before his departure from Barcelona was announced. The soccer star dismissed the significance of the meeting during his press conference, calling it a coincidence and stating that they were all just friends. However, he will now be joining forces with these players in Paris after hearing their playful teasing to “come to Paris.”
After spending 21 long years of his football career with Barcelona, Lionel Messi has decided to bid farewell to the club. He recently signed a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain, marking a new chapter in his illustrious career.
At the Parc des Princes, Messi is set to team up with fellow countryman and ex-Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, who will serve as his coach.
Neymar’s time at Barcelona was marked by his partnership with Messi, but even after moving to Paris, he has kept in touch with his Copa America rival.
Last Sunday, Messi was in tears during his farewell press conference as he shared that he didn’t want to leave Barcelona. Despite agreeing to a 50% pay cut, Spanish employment law prevented options such as playing for free. Messi insisted that he did everything in his power to allow Barcelona to reach a deal, but it wasn’t possible due to LaLiga. He strongly denied rumors that he didn’t want to continue with the club and expressed his desire to stay. Having joined Barcelona at 15 years old, Messi made his senior debut at 16 and played 778 times for the club over 21 years. He became Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer with 672 goals, including 120 in the Champions League and a record-setting 474 in LaLiga. Messi also won 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions Leagues, seven Copa del Reys, and six European Golden Shoe awards for being the continent’s top scorer.
The 34-year-old individual was enjoying their time in Ibiza with some of the well-known members of the club, including Neymar, Angel Di Maria, Marco Verratti, and Leandro Paredes.
Jorge, the father of Messi, played a crucial role in the discussions and negotiations necessary for his son’s move to PSG, marking the end of a 21-year tenure in Spain.
Throughout his illustrious career at the Nou Camp, Messi has accumulated an impressive collection of silverware, including six Ballon d’Or awards and four Champions League titles.
With a heavy heart, Messi addressed the press and his fellow players at Nou Camp before embarking on his departure. His desolate expression was evident, conveying the emotional weight of leaving the club he had long called home.
President Joan Laporta had reportedly prioritized re-signing Messi for Barcelona until 2026, with the player willing to accept a 50% pay cut from his previous deal to comply with LaLiga’s financial fair play rules. However, this proposal was unfeasible, and Laporta did not blame Messi for his departure. Laporta acknowledged the disastrous management of the previous administration and the club’s €1 billion debt announced in February. Despite Messi’s willingness to take a pay cut, the club could not extend his contract while adhering to LaLiga’s salary rules.
In a surprising announcement on Thursday night, Barcelona declared that their 34-year-old player would not be remaining at the club. This decision was made due to financial constraints imposed on them by LaLiga.
At the young age of 16, he made his senior debut in 2004 and went on to become a crucial player, appearing in 778 matches.
Lionel Messi has made history as Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer, scoring a total of 672 goals, including 120 in the Champions League and a record 474 in LaLiga. His father, Jorge, traveled to Barcelona to finalize a new contract with the club but was surprised when he learned that it was not possible during a dinner. The separation from Barcelona has been emotional, with a lawyer representing the club’s loyal supporters filing a complaint with the European Court of Appeals to prevent Paris-Saint Germain from signing Messi based on financial data. PSG’s ratios for “Financial Fair Play” are worse than Barcelona’s, making it unfair for them to sign Messi. Even Barcelona’s manager, Ronald Koeman, admits that it is still difficult to accept Messi’s departure and wished him well on Twitter.
Juan Branco’s post revealed that despite the efforts of the ‘socios’ to prevent the move, it was ultimately unsuccessful.
Back in 2000, when Messi was just a young lad, he made the bold decision to leave his Argentine team Newell’s Old Boys and join the prestigious La Masia academy at Barcelona. Even though he may have been a little nervous, he donned his mask and took the leap of faith that would eventually lead him to become one of the greatest footballers of all time.
The news of Barcelona’s inability to renew Messi’s contract due to financial difficulties left the football star feeling shocked and dejected. Former Everton and Southampton manager, Ronald Koeman expressed his sadness over Messi’s departure from the club via Twitter, thanking him for his contribution and hard work during their time together. Despite reaching an agreement to renew his contract, Barcelona cited financial and structural obstacles, in line with Spanish LaLiga regulations, preventing them from securing Messi’s signature for the next five years. The club expressed their gratitude to Messi for his contributions and wished him all the best for his personal and professional life.