PSG Manager Confirms Lionel Messi's Final Match for French Club

LIONEL MESSI - TOPSHOT-FBL-FRA-LIGUE1-STRASBOURG-PSG

(Photo : JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN/AFP via Getty Images) TOPSHOT - Paris Saint-Germain's Argentine forward Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the French L1 football match between RC Strasbourg Alsace and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg, eastern France on May 27, 2023.

Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier officially confirmed that Lionel Messi will be leaving the French capital this summer.

🚨 PSG manager Christophe Galtier has just confirmed that Leo Messi will leave PSG at the end of the season.

“I had a privilege of coaching the best player in the history of football. It will be Leo’s last match at the Parc des Princes against Clermont”. pic.twitter.com/hieCFUFBQm
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 1, 2023

The Argentine will play his final game for the club on Saturday against Clermont at Parc de Princes.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano already reported about Messi's departure at the beginning of May, but no PSG officials confirmed the news until Galtier.

🚨 Messi will leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season. There are no doubts about that anymore.

Behind the scenes, it’s now understood that Leo’s father Jorge communicated the decision to PSG already one month ago due to the project.

It was the final breaking point. pic.twitter.com/Bwehuvyq1E
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 3, 2023

Lionel Messi's Departure From PSG Confirmed

Messi made a shock transfer to France in the summer of 2021 after former club Barcelona could not sign a renewal due to financial constraints amid their massive debt.

The 35-year-old already had an agreement with the Spanish club, but they could not execute it.

Despite the confirmed departure, Messi is still featured in promotional material for PSG's newly-revealed 2023/24 kits.

In two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain, the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner scored 32 goals and provided 35 assists in 74 appearances for the club.

Messi's time with the club was not smooth sailing, as he was suspended by the club for two weeks last May after making an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia. However, the forward thought he had a day off on his schedule and apologized for the gaffe.

Reception for the Argentine from PSG fans has been lukewarm, with fans jeering at him upon his return from the suspension.

Tensions arose after the recent World Cup when Messi's Argentina defeated France in the final.

The superstar wanted to show off the World Cup trophy in the club's stadium Parc de Princes, but PSG officials were worried about its implications in the country. Ultimately, they denied his request.