After one of the shortest transfer sagas in recent memory, Lionel Messi has been confirmed as a Paris Saint-Germain player.
As soon as contract talks with Barcelona broke down and Manchester City ruled themselves out of the running there was only ever going to be one destination for La Pulga.
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PSG fans knew it too and they have been camping out at Le Bourget airport for days, hoping to catch a glimpse of their newest superstar. On Tuesday, he finally emerged, poking out of a window to greet his adoring public with a wave.
??? pic.twitter.com/SQS578pmDf
— 90min (@90min_Football) August 10, 2021
?? Lionel Messi waving to the PSG fans from the window of the airport in Paris pic.twitter.com/Sx7Y4LNGbt
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 10, 2021
Footage of Messi at the airport dropped just minutes after PSG cryptically announced La Pulga’s arrival.
Well, it was not that cryptic actually.
Included in the jump-cut heavy promo were images of six Ballons d’Or, an Argentine flag and even a silhouette of Messi himself.
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 10, 2021
With Messi’s imminent arrival in Paris finally confirmed, social media, unsurprisingly, got very excited indeed.
People were particularly giddy about the prospect of a Messi, Neymar, Mbappe front three – including 90min.
??’? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ?????.
? Messi | Neymar | Mbappe ? pic.twitter.com/Oaipq6hs1T
— 90min (@90min_Football) August 10, 2021
Save the date. William Saliba about to pack the trio of Neymar Messi Mbappe. pic.twitter.com/RgeROCYEGP
— Renato (@rehnato) August 10, 2021
PSG’s attack unit now includes Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe ? pic.twitter.com/MXrOsBNFLv
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) August 10, 2021
Wijnaldum and Verratti trying to track back on a counter because Messi, Neymar and Mbappe are doing vibes pic.twitter.com/Wxv7Az9mVB
— Ole Gunnar Scamskjær (@Nigerianscamsss) August 10, 2021
Adding Messi to your books when you already have Neymar and Mbappé’s wages in the middle of an economy-crippling global pandemic and flagrantly breaching FFP.
PSG:pic.twitter.com/O6wJMrSxVJ
— Football Ramble (@FootballRamble) August 10, 2021
PSG have managed to sign Neymar, Mbappe and now Messi without breaching UEFA’s financial regulations. They must have the best commercial department in the world to make the maths work ?
— tariq panja (@tariqpanja) August 10, 2021
No number 10 for Lionel Messi.
Kylian Mbappé included in the trio.Paris Saint-Germain ‘messages’ here on their official announcement video for Leo Messi. ??? #PSG #Messi pic.twitter.com/AA0eq4Z3pU
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 10, 2021
It’s heartbreaking in many ways to see Lionel Messi leave @FCBarcelona. It’s not a retirement, though, and with @Cristiano in the twilight of his career, we can watch him in a forward line consisting of, possibly, the 3 best players on the planet…if @KMbappe stays put.
— Gary Lineker ? (@GaryLineker) August 10, 2021
The addition of Messi rounds off an incredible transfer window for the Parisians. This summer they have already snapped up Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum and Gianluigi Donnarumma without spending a penny in transfer fees.
Achraf Hakimi – one of the best attacking right-backs in the world – has also joined from Inter. Some on Twitter were even calling their business the best transfer window ever.
Lionel Messi is a PSG player…
PSG’s transfer window: ??????????! ? pic.twitter.com/tcNhsP9HsU
— 90min (@90min_Football) August 10, 2021
so you are telling me PSG got captain of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Italy and Netherlands in 1 transfer window for free. pic.twitter.com/ZrxJkRgr5c
— Sachin Patel (@sachiinpatel) August 10, 2021
Grealish to City. Messi to PSG. Lukaku to Chelsea. Kane to City. My head is going to explode! And we thought it was going to be a quiet transfer window…
— Julien Laurens (@LaurensJulien) August 7, 2021
It’s crazy how PSG managed to get Messi AND Ramos who are the respective captains of Barca and Madrid in one transfer window pic.twitter.com/cu4t5N0djT
— Jeev (@Jeevvanraj_09) August 10, 2021
PSG signed Messi, Ramos and a GOAT in one transfer window pic.twitter.com/IPhOlEqiwf
— ً (@FirminoProp) August 10, 2021
PSG has had the best transfer window of any team this decade
— B (@Kamarleh) August 10, 2021
Have PSG had best transfer window in soccer history?
— Bob Williams (@WilliamsBob75) August 10, 2021
PSG’s transfer window is good and everything but it still doesn’t chat to us pic.twitter.com/QO4MLUwtsW
— MR (@TuchelhoIic) August 10, 2021
PSG just had the greatest transfer window of all time:
Lionel Messi ?? (Free)
Gianluigi Donnarumma ?? (Free)
Georginio Wijnaldum ?? (Free)
Sergio Ramos ?? (Free) pic.twitter.com/YrzIphcDIN— MarceI ?? (@MUFCMarceI) August 10, 2021
Others, notably 90min’s Sean Walsh, refused to acknowledge these as ‘free’ signings.
Wow I can’t believe it cost PSG nothing at all to sign all these amazing players, why dd no one else think of doing that https://t.co/2895o8pWU6
— Sean Walsh (@SeanDZWalsh) August 10, 2021
While some were seeing the positives of Messi’s move, Barcelona fans were distraught.
Although the writing had been on the wall for the past few days, that did not make confirmation of the inevitable any less heart-wrenching.
Qatar took it personally when Barcelona ended their Qatar foundation and Qatar Airways sponsorship for Rakuten
They’ve destroyed Barca by taking Neymar and now they’ve taken Messi for free through PSG. Top revenge ?
— KELEWELE JOINT ? (@ANKAMAGYIMI__) August 10, 2021
Over 141,000 people followed Messi’s flight from Barcelona to Paris live on Flightradar24.
[@lluisanaya] pic.twitter.com/KMkQevgPcz
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) August 10, 2021
Who would have thought a few years ago that both Messi and Neymar will play for PSG , Barcelona failed massively pic.twitter.com/JcPQcdrQcQ
— GT (@_Gtt__) August 10, 2021
Barcelona’s fans going in paris
to start a new chapter#messi pic.twitter.com/wtK8b9dkrg— Kukimucyamagaza (@kukimucyamagaza) August 10, 2021
I don’t even support Barcelona and I felt physically sick when I saw this image of Messi in a Paris shirt. We’ve just allowed the one of the richest club and country in the world to get even wealthier. I don’t want to even imagine what it feels like to be an actual Barcelona fan. pic.twitter.com/VbzcINTt3X
— PoorEPLreferees Football Talk account (@PoorEPLdiscuss) August 10, 2021
Barcelona fans, you might want to look away. Neymar welcoming Lionel Messi to PSG on his Instagram. pic.twitter.com/UVPfkPQ2eN
— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) August 10, 2021
Only ?s can play at both Barcelona and PSG. Lionel Messi ? pic.twitter.com/5FATQL53gn
— ???? ? (@paanized) August 10, 2021
1 – Lionel Messi with Barcelona :
?6 Ballon d’or
?672 goals in all comps
?474 goals and 383 wins in LaLiga
?123 goals in European competitions
?36 hat-tricks in LaLiga
?26 goals in the ClasicoLegendary. pic.twitter.com/EIURnlTPhu
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) August 10, 2021
Lionel Messi’s story at Barcelona is coming to and end.
With his transfer to PSG imminent, take a look at every shirt Leo wore during his time at the club.
We’re listing loads of Messi shirts on the site throughout today and tomorrow!
Which is your favourite? ? pic.twitter.com/c68W57V21P
— Classic Football Shirts (@classicshirts) August 10, 2021
