Paris Saint-Germain completed the free-agent signing of Lionel Messi on an initial two-year contract with an option for third on Tuesday. Messi officially has a new club after his stunning departure from Barcelona, and he also has a new number. The Argentina international has chosen to wear the No. 30 jersey on the pitch for the French giants.
The legendary 34-year-old finds familiar faces at Parc des Princes in Neymar, Angel Di Maria, Sergio Ramos, Keylor Navas and Leandro Paredes. Neymar already occupies Messi’s preferred No. 10, which he wore for the majority of his 17-season career with Barcelona.
Reports have suggested that Neymar offered make the number available to his close friend but that the record six-time Ballon d’Or winner rejected and preferred to revert to one of his former numbers — 19 and 30.
Ultimately, it will be 30, but that also came with no shortage of complexity. Firstly, it was already taken by backup goalkeeper Alexandre Letellier, and second, the No. 30 is considered a goalkeeper number along with the No. 1 and No. 16 jerseys.
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The request was made to France’s Ligue de Football Professionnel with Letellier also stepping aside for Messi to take his number of choice with No. 40 also an emergency goalkeeper number according to the law.
Gianluigi Donnarumma already found out how awkward the French numbering rules can be when he tried to keep his No. 99 jersey from AC Milan but instead had to settle for No. 50 — possibly instead of 40 — with jersey numbers only allowed from 1-30 including three goalkeepers.
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Paris Saint-Germain have completed the sensational free-agent signing of Lionel Messi after his Barcelona exit on a deal through 2023, the Ligue 1 giants confirmed Tuesday.
The 34-year-old arrives at Parc des Princes on a two-year contract with an option for one more after a glittering career with Barca which has seen him win four UEFA Champions League, 10 La Liga, seven Copa del Rey and three FIFA Club World Cup titles as part of a total haul of 34 trophies.
“I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain,” Messi said in a release. “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.”
Messi arrived in Paris on Tuesday, and PSG announced his signing with a video.
Messi also led Argentina to this summer’s Copa America and has won the Ballon d’Or six times in total — the same number as his European Golden Shoe titles with countless other individual accolades.
“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. The addition of Leo to our world class squad continues a very strategic and successful transfer window for the club. Led by our outstanding coach and his staff, I look forward to the team making history together for our fans all around the world.”
Messi, who will wear the No. 30 in the French capital, will now team up with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Marco Verratti and Achraf Hakimi to launch an assault on the Champions League title after PSG fell short in the semifinals in 2021 and the final in 2020.
What is Messi’s new jersey number at PSG
Messi will wear No. 30 with PSG. If you’re a Messi fan, you need a new jersey! Shop Messi PSG No. 30 jerseys now, including the all-new home and away jerseys, men’s and women’s, in multiple colors. Click here to shop.
