Lionel Messi sign his contract with Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al Khelaifi on Aug. 10, 2021 in Paris, France. Photo: Aurelien Meunier - PSG/PSG via Getty Images
Soccer star Lionel Messi has signed a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain, joining the French club after more than two decades with F.C. Barcelona.
Why it matters: It's one of the most significant moves in the sports history, and will see the powerhouse move from Spain's top division across the border to a Ligue 1 team that's bankrolled by Qatar. Messi is widely regarded as the best player of all time.
Between the lines: "Messi’s move reaffirmed the severity of the financial crisis at his former club, Barcelona, and highlighted how Gulf riches have so altered modern soccer’s economics that even some of the world’s biggest, richest and best-supported clubs are now no match for state-sponsored teams in the arms race to acquire the most elite players," writes the New York Times' Tariq Panja.
“I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain. 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.”— Lionel Messi
Go deeper: Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona after "financial and structural obstacles"