After a months-long back and forth - will he sign a new contract or not? - Lionel Messi, widely considered one of the best footballers in history, is set to leave Barcelona after spending his entire professional career at the club. Having relocated to Spain at age 13 in 2001, the Argentinian made his first-team debut for the club in 2003, before becoming a regular starter in the 2005/2006 season.
The news of Messi's departure, ultimately caused by financial constraints laid on the club by the Spanish league, hit the football world like a bombshell, immidiately sparking rumors of where "La Pulga" (the flea) could end up next. One likely target, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, seems unlikely after the club spent more than $100 million to sign English international Jack Grealish on Thursday. As it stands, Paris Saint-Germain appears to be the frontrunner to secure Messi's services, being one of the few clubs to be able to afford his royal salary.
One glance at Messi's goal scoring record says everything about his massive importance to Barcelona and the giant footsteps he'll leave behind at Camp Nou. In 778 games across all competitions, the Argentinian found the net an incredible 672 times - averaging out at almost one goal every match (0.86 to be precise). Considering that football is a notoriously low-scoring sport that brings him as close to a human cheat code as it gets.
