Messi Signs For PSG To Create Formidable Parisian Dream Team

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PSG announced via the club's social media platforms yesterday, 11 August, that the deal is for an initial two years with an option for a third.

Messi will wear number 30 at the Parc Des Princes, which he had specifically asked for after the debut shirt number he wore at Barcelona more than two decades ago.

Now-reunited teammate Neymar had reportedly offered the 34-year-old his number 10 shirt, which Messi famously made his own over a fabled career. Messi declined, and opted for nostalgia, reported ESPN.

Although the finer details of the deal have not been made public, the same report reveals that Messi's base salary will be between 30 to 35 million Euros per year after taxes (roughly 575,000-670,000 Euros per week).

He had spent the entirety of his prior professional career at the Catalan club, joining their famous La Masia youth academy as a 13-year-old back in 2000.

The Rosario-native would go on to make his senior debut for Barcelona during a league match against Espanyol in 2004, making him the then youngest-ever player for the club.

He would be unstoppable in his 20s, going on to become one of the greatest players of his generation. Operating primarily on his natural right wing position, Messi would stun team after team with his trickery and mastery of the football.

Messi scored over 700 goals for both club and country so far, and along the way won the Spanish league top scorer award for an unprecedented eight seasons.

Over 17 seasons, Messi won ten Spanish La Liga titles; seven Spanish Cups; four UEFA Champions League trophies; plus a laundry list of prestigious individual awards, including six Ballon D'ors, world football's highest honour.

Messi leaves FC Barcelona as the record appearance holder in their history, featuring in 778 games, and has served as club captain for the last three seasons.

Following the expiry of his contract with FC Barcelona on 30 June, speculation was rife that Messi would be angling for a move away.

However, the two parties agreed to a new five year contract on 16 July, with Messi set to take a 50% wage reduction from his previous deal, reported Sky Sports.

However, the Spanish club would see their spending cap slashed two thirds by league authorities (from 600 million Euros to just 200 million), in part due to reduced revenue owing to the ongoing pandemic.

With this restriction, Messi's reduced terms would still see Barcelona's wage bill account for 110% of their revenue, making a deal financially impossible, per ESPN.

As the writing was on the wall, Messi held an emotional farewell press conference on 8 August, where he fought back tears.

Messi joins two of the world's most expensive players, and arguably also two of the best currently playing.

Up front, PSG is led by World Cup-winning 22-year-old Kylian Mbappe, the French superstar who like Messi burst onto the scene as a teenage phenomenon.

On his opposite wing, the Argentine will be joined by Brazil captain Neymar, who himself moved to PSG from Barcelona in 2017 for a blockbuster 222 million Euros.

The team also features many of the game's luminaries, such as incoming Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, Euro 2020 winners such as Marco Veratti and Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Messi's Argentina teammate Angel Di Maria.

In his unveiling press conference on 11 August, Messi said winning the UEFA Champions League with PSG is his goal.

"I believe that I am in the right place to have the best chances to achieve that," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.