PSG confirms that Lionel Messi is leaving the club

PSG head coach, Christophe Galtier has confirmed that Argentine football legend Lionel Messi is leaving the club.

PSG are set to face Clermont on June 3 and Lionel Messi will walk out for the last time for PSG after his stay for two years at the club.

Confirming the development, Galtier said;

“I had the privilege of coaching the best player in the history of football. This will be his last match at the Parc des Princes, and I hope that he will receive the warmest of welcomes.

“This year, he has been an important part of the team, always available. I don’t think any of the comments or criticisms are justified. He’s always been there for the team. It’s been a great privilege to accompany him throughout the season.”

Messi has scored 21 goals and provided 20 assists across 40 appearances for the Parisian side this season. Included in that tally are 16 goals and 16 assists from 31 Ligue 1 appearances.

While the 35-year-old won the World Cup with Argentina last December, his time at PSG has been far from an unmitigated success. He arrived at PSG in August 2021, joining a star-studded team that includes Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, with the hope of winning the club’s first Champions League title. Although PSG clinched their 11th Ligue 1 title last weekend, in March they were once again knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16.

In recent weeks, Messi has received abuse from some sections of PSG fans, and last month the club suspended him following an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia. Messi has a commercial contract with Saudi Arabia to promote tourism and has been linked with a lucrative move there at the end of the season.

There has also been talk of a return to Barcelona, where he spent the majority of his career and won 10 La Liga titles and the Champions League on four occasions. Messi has also been linked with a move to David Beckham’s MLS team, Inter Miami.