Soccer star Lionel Messi to leave Barcelona after 17 seasons over financial ‘obstacles’
Soccer icon Lionel Messi will leave Barcelona after 17 seasons, marking the end of a nearly two-decade relationship that resulted in 35 titles and hundreds of goals, the team announced Thursday.
The club blamed the Spanish league’s financial regulations for preventing a new contract with the 34-year-old forward, who reportedly earned 138 million euros, or about $163 million, in his previous contract with the team.
“Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles,” the Catalan club said in a statement without detailing the financial issues.
“As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona,” the statement reads. “Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.”
The stunning news shocked football fans around the world as Messi had never played for another club since joining Barcelona in 2004. The Argentine athlete helped the team win the Champions League four times, the Spanish league 10 times, the Spanish Super Cub eight times and the Copa del Rey seven times.
He had been a free agent since his contract expired on June 30, leading to weeks of speculation about his future and whether the club would be able to meet his salary demands.
Messi is the team’s all-time leading scorer with 672 goals in 778 matches, and the Spanish league’s top scorer with 474 goals in 520 appearances. He has also earned a record six Ballon d’Or awards, the world’s most prestigious prize for soccer players.
“FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandizement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life,” the club said in its statement.
Messi recently helped Argentina beat Brazil for a Copa America title, marking his first major title with the team. A photo that he posted on Instagram holding the Copa America trophy became the most-liked sports photo on the platform, with about 21.5 million likes.
“This is incredible, thank God!!!” he wrote in the caption.
With News Wire Services
