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Lionel Messi on his arrival in Paris
Photo: SARAH MEYSSONNIER / REUTERS
It's perfect: Lionel Messi is the new superstar in the "world selection" of Paris Saint-Germain.
The French capital club confirmed the agreement with the six-time world footballer on Tuesday evening.
The 34-year-old Argentine received a two-year contract with the Champions League finalists last season with an option for another season in Ligue1.
Messi will play with the number 30 in the future.
Messi flew to the Seine from Barcelona with his wife and three sons on Tuesday. He had been expected the two days before before he finally arrived that afternoon and took the sports medicine test. Then he drove to a luxury hotel, where he was celebrated by fans. This Wednesday, the 34-year-old Argentine will be presented at a press conference at 11 a.m. For Messi, after 21 years at FC Barcelona, a new chapter in football begins. Messi would be 37 years old when his new contract including a third season expired at the end of June 2024.
He had to leave FC Barcelona, which he joined when he was 13, even though both sides wanted to continue working together.
The statutes of the financial fair play of the Spanish league did not allow it, however, the club is highly indebted with almost 490 million euros.
In Paris, Messi will play with the German national player Thilo Kehrer and ex-world champion Julian Draxler, among others.
The team of the Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino is likely to be the best the football club world has to offer in terms of its name alone: In addition to the Brazilian Neymar, world champions Kylian Mbappé from France, the two Italian European champions Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marco Verratti as well as play there the former Real icon Sergio Ramos.
Messi said goodbye to FC Barcelona in tears on Sunday and spoke of the "hardest chapter" of his career.
nek / dpa