Lionel Messi to PSG: shirt number, salary, contract length, net worth - and why did he leave Barcelona?

Leo Messi has joined Paris St Germain where he will team up with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe under Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino
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Lionel Messi has completed his move from Barcelona to Paris St Germain.

The Argentina ace made a tearful exit from the Camp Nou at an emotional press conference just hours before putting pen to paper on a two year deal with PSG.

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PSG have had a long and drawn out interest in taking Messi to France where his former Barca team-mate and good friend Neymar currently plies his trade.

Club officials swooped as soon as it became apparent Messi would be leaving Barcelona - the only club he has represented in his professional football career.

Following talks, Messi’s move to PSG was confirmed on 10 August 2021.

Here’s all you need to know about Messi’s move - from shirt number to annual salary.

What shirt number will Messi wear at PSG?

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Leo Messi has been synonymous with the number 10 at Barcelona and international side Argentina in recent years.

Yet a change in clubs has also brought about a change in numbers, with Messi reverting back to a number he knows well from his younger days.

Messi wore the number 30 shirt when he was breaking through into the first team squad at Barca, making his debut with those numbers on his back.

He will wear the number 30 shirt at PSG.

How much is Messi’s salary at PSG?

Talks with Barca broke down at the 11th hour after the Catalan club decided they couldn’t afford to pay Messi the agreed salary within La Liga’s financial fair play rules.

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Messi’s Barca contract expired on 1 July 2021 but it was always thought he would re-sign with the club that has been his home for more than two decades.

Yet when Barca officials pulled the plug, PSG pounced to get their man.

PSG have tied Messi down to a two year contract, with the option of a third, in a deal worth more than £1 million a week before tax deductions.

The 34-year-old has penned a deal with PSG worth £53.8 million per season and is expected to receive a handsome signing bonus for joining as a free agent.

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He was previously on around £470 million over four years at Barcelona but despite agreeing to halve his wages the Catalan club could not afford to keep Messi.

How much is Messi worth?

Messi is widely regarded as one of - if not - the greatest football players of all time, certainly of his generation.

He scored a record 672 goals in 778 games for Barcelona, lifted 35 trophies with the Catalan club and has won Ballon d’Or a record six times.

Those types of numbers come at a cost and Messi has long known his market value alongside the world’s best sportsmen, including Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Messi remains the world’s highest paid player, with Forbes magazine ranking him second in the highest paid athletes in 2021 behind Conor Mcgregor.

An income of £110m in 2021 for Messi was slightly higher than Ronaldo’s £102m.

In comparison, NBA superstar Lebron James was listed with an annual income of £82m, followed in the list by Neymar (£81m), tennis ace Roger Federer (£76m), F1 driver Lewis Hamilton (£70m) and NFL quarterback Tom Brady (£64.5m).

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