(PARIS) — In his first press conference as a player for Paris Saint-Germain, soccer star Lionel Messi says he is hoping to win the UEFA Champions League for a fifth time.
Messi officially signed with PSG on Tuesday, inking a two-year deal with an option to continue with the club for an additional season. Sources told ESPN’s Julien Laurens that he will earn $35-41 million per year.
Messi’s departure from FC Barcelona came as a surprise to many, after he spent his entire professional career with that club. At his Wednesday press conference, Messi called it “very tough” to leave Barca.
“As soon as I arrived here I was so happy, so motivated, so excited,” Messi said. “My goal and my dream is to win the Champions League once more. I think that we have the team to do it here.”
Messi will join PSG stars Neymar and Mbappe, something he expressed great pleasure about.
“I am very happy. It’s crazy. I’m going to play with the best players in the world, and that’s always good.”
Messi had voiced his desire to remain with Barcelona, but the club failed to register his five-year contract due to what they cited as financial complications. The deal Messi had agreed to would have put Barcelona well above the rules La Liga holds on how much money a club can spend on players compared to their revenue.
Messi scored 672 goals in 778 matches for Barcelona, winning La Liga 10 times, the Copa dey Rey seven times, and the Champions League four times. He won his first major international competition this summer, helping his native Argentina to the Copa America title.
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