PSG
- Soccer superstar Lionel Messi has joined nine-time French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
- The Argentine will reportedly earn $35 million a season and the same amount as a signing bonus.
- Messi's Barcelona departure and move to PSG is one of the biggest transfers in the sport's history.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Lionel Messi has joined French club Paris Saint-Germain following his dramatic departure from Barcelona in one of the most explosive transfers in soccer history.
The club made the move official with an announcement on their social media platforms and on their webpage with the caption, "PSGxMESSI."
-Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) August 10, 2021
The Argentine, who had been at the Spanish club since he was 13, will receive a €25 million euro ($30 million) signing-on fee and at least that amount every season, as reported by the Athletic. The New York Times reported that the deal is closer to $35 million per season.
Messi's move to Paris has materialized in the five days since it was announced that he would be leaving his childhood club.
Barcelona confirmed last Thursday that the 34-year-old's time in Spain was over as the club was unable to register him due to La Liga's strict financial rules.
On Sunday, Messi broke down in tears during a press conference and said he had "never imagined having to say goodbye."
Messi has never played for another club having first signed with Barcelona as a teenager.
During his time in the Catalonia capital, Messi has won 10 league titles, seven Copas del Rey, and four UEFA Champions Leagues.
Additionally, he has been named the best player on the planet six times.
PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images
The former Barcelona captain's arrival in Paris will see him reunite with Neymar, who played alongside Messi at Barcelona from 2013 to 2017.
The Athletic also reports that the move to the French capital began when Messi, who has been a free agent since July 1, called PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino on Thursday evening.