Awards / Football / Sports

Lionel Messi adds 7th Ballon d’Or to his record haul

Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina forward Lionel Messi beat out Bayern Munich’s runner-up Robert Lewandowski and 28 other nominees for the 2021 men’s Ballon d’Or, which he received at a ceremony on Monday in Paris.

The honor is awarded by France Football magazine to the male soccer player considered to be the best in the world over the previous year. It’s voted on by a panel of 180 international journalists and is the most prestigious individual honor in the sport.

Spain and Barcelona forward Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or, which was awarded for the third time this year. She was named the UEFA women’s player of the year in August.

Monday marked the seventh time that Messi has won the Ballon d’Or, extending a record he set with his sixth time being honored in 2019. Rival Cristiano Ronaldo is second all-time with five Ballon d’Ors. The Manchester United and Portugal forward finished sixth in voting this year.

The award is also Messi’s second straight. The Ballon d’Or wasn’t awarded in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the international soccer schedule. He won this year for a professional season split between PSG and Barcelona. Messi left a Barcelona team he’d play for since 2004 in August to join PSG. He led his national team Argentina to a Copa America championship in July.…

Football / News / Sports

Messi signs two-year contract with PSG

Lionel Messi has finally signed his eagerly anticipated Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) contract to complete the move that confirms the end of a career-long association with Barcelona and sends PSG into a new era.

PSG said in a statement that the 34-year-old Argentina star signed a two-year deal on Tuesday night with the option for a third season.

“I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain,” Messi said.

“Everything about the club matches my football ambitions. I know how talented the squad and the coaching staff are here. I am determined to help build something special for the club and the fans, and I am looking forward to stepping out onto the pitch at the Parc des Princes.”

No salary details were given but Messi is set to earn approximately 35 million euros ($41m) net, according to the Associated Press news agency, who spoke to a person with knowledge of the negotiations on condition of anonymity before the contract was signed.

“I am delighted that Lionel Messi has chosen to join Paris Saint-Germain and we are proud to welcome him and his family to Paris,” PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi said.

“He has made no secret of his desire to continue competing at the very highest level and winning trophies, and naturally our ambition as a club is to do the same.”

Messi will wear the number 30, as revealed in a video by the club, the number he had when he began his professional career at Barcelona between 2004-2006.

Throngs of PSG fans gathered at Le Bourget Airport in Paris to welcome Messi, who was wearing a T-shirt that read: “Ici c’est Paris” (This is Paris).

The words are a long-familiar refrain from a favored fan chant at Parc des Princes stadium, where Messi will be presented to them before kickoff of Saturday night’s game against Strasbourg.

Such was the fans around his arrival that police had to push back to stop metal barriers from toppling over at the airport as fans surged forward to …

Football / Sports

Leo Messi not staying at FC Barcelona

Despite club and player reaching an agreement and their clear intention to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles, 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 Spanish LaLiga regulations on player registration.

As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.

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.

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