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Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona waves to the crowd before the Joan Gamper Trophy match between FC Barcelona and Arsenal at Camp Nou on August 04, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.
Quality sports images | Getty Images
Lionel Messi will leave FC Barcelona after the failure of talks to reconnect due to “financial and structural obstacles”, the football club confirmed on Thursday.
FC Barcelona said in a statement that they “wholeheartedly express their gratitude to the player for his contribution to the club’s expansion and wish him the best for the future in his personal and professional life.”
Messi signed with the club at the age of 13 as part of their youth program, La Masia. His first season with the best team dates back to 2004.
The 39-year-old also won the Ballon d’Or in 2019 and is the only player to have won the award six times.
Messi’s last contract with FC Barcelona, signed in 2017, is valued at $ 675 million. The club said they “clearly intend” to sign a new contract on Thursday.
Last month Messi reportedly reached a verbal agreement on a five-year contract extension at Barcelona, with new terms that include a 50% pay cut.
Messi officially became a free agent on July 1 after failing to agree on terms for a contract renewal before his previous contract ended on June 30.
Messi is one of the most prolific goal scorers in history. According to football statistics site FBRef.com, Messi holds the all-time record scoring 474 goals in La Liga games. He also scored 120 goals in the European Champions League, just behind former Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
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