Twitter Reactions: Messi joins PSG

Lionel Messi has grabbed the biggest headlines in the summer transfer window after joining French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a two-year contract. After Spanish La Liga’s financial fair play regulations dented Messi’s hopes of signing a five-year deal with FC Barcelona, the Argentine talisman decided to ply his trade at Le Parc des Princes.

He will play alongside former FC Barcelona teammate Neymar, fellow countrymen Angel Di Maria, and long-time Spanish La Liga rival Sergio Ramos. PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino, who also hails from Argentina, was on the pitch when Messi made his Spanish La Liga debut against Espanyol in 2004.

The record six-time six-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored 672 goals from all competitions during his 17-year stay at the Catalan club. He has won the Spanish La Liga ten times and lifted the coveted UEFA Champions League title in the 2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2014-15 seasons.

Messi played a pivotal role in FC Barcelona’s thrilling win over PSG in UEFA Champions League four years ago. The Spanish side lost the first leg of Round 16 clash 0-4 in Paris. But they came back and won the home fixture 6-1, becoming the first team to overturn a four-goal deficit in the tournament history.

PSG won their opening match in the new French Ligue 1 season after a 1-2 win against Troyes. They will face Strasbourg on Saturday, but it is unlikely that Messi will be involved in the French club’s first home match of the new term.

We take a look at how Twitterati reacted to one of the historical transfers in European football.

Never saw that coming. https://t.co/0hUWkVtYW8

— Gary Lineker 💙 (@GaryLineker) August 10, 2021

I’m not sure my brain is able to compute these images yet… #MessiPSG #messi pic.twitter.com/51NQi0E0pp

— Ben Foster (@BenFoster) August 10, 2021

Messi signs. #UCL pic.twitter.com/1RdpLxob08

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 10, 2021

Okay now you’re crying.

Messi posters being taken down from the Nou Camp…pic.twitter.com/a2m89B9q5b

— COPA90 (@Copa90) August 10, 2021

GOAT for a reason 🤩#Messi #MessiPSG pic.twitter.com/aJWwfrbqPM

— PaytmFirstGames (@PaytmFirstGames) August 10, 2021

Most Big Chance Created in the Champions League since the start of the 2016/17 season:

◉ Lionel Messi (30)
◉ Kylian Mbappé (29)
◉ Ángel Di María (26)
◉ Neymar (24)

And now they’re all in the same team. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9KtilM6XDZ

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 10, 2021

26 – In Neymar’s four seasons at Barcelona (2013-14 to 2016-17), he and Lionel Messi assisted one another for 26 goals in LaLiga; only Messi and Luis Suárez (36) combined for more in the competition in this period. Reunited? pic.twitter.com/BxmIGkStT0

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 10, 2021

𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥: Lionel Messi, our former academy player who scored 234 goals for Newell’s, joins @PSG_English.

He’ll be coached by Mauricio Pochettino, a senior player at Newell’s when Messi first joined us in 1994.

Best of luck, Leo!

PS: Don’t keep us waiting too long 😉 pic.twitter.com/34063sZ9Oq

— Newell’s Old Boys – English (@Newells_en) August 10, 2021

Nice of PSG to recognize that Argentina won the Copa America on July 10, aka 10/7. pic.twitter.com/iUi9aaTfJM

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) August 10, 2021

What a summer for PSG 😳✍️ pic.twitter.com/nWdGpYTZc1

— 433 (@433) August 10, 2021