And just like that, the balance of power in world football shifted to Paris.

Lionel Messi was officially unveiled Tuesday by Paris Saint-Germain, signing as a free agent after a whirlwind week in which the Argentine megastar ended his superlative 21-year affiliation with Barcelona.

Messi inked a two-year contract with the Ligue 1 outfit. The deal includes an option for a third season.

The 34-year-old was in tears Sunday as he bid farewell to the only club he’s ever known as a professional. The mood was much more jovial Tuesday, though, as he posed with the No. 30 PSG kit – a sight, and a shirt number, that will take some getting used to.

Prior to his unveiling, a smiling Messi greeted hundreds of joyous PSG supporters who gathered to welcome the star forward and his family to the French capital after his flight from Spain.

He will link up with former Barcelona teammate – and close friend – Neymar and French superstar Kylian Mbappe at the Parc des Princes, forming what could be the most dominant attacking triumvirate in football history.

Messi was offered the No. 10 shirt by Neymar, ESPN reports, but turned it down, opting instead to return to the number he wore in his debut season with Barcelona.

“I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain,” the six-time Ballon d’Or winner said.

“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 was a free agent after his contract with Barcelona expired on June 30. He was expected to remain with the Catalan club after agreeing to reduce his salary and sign a new deal, but Barca announced last week they could not register the contract with La Liga due to financial constraints.

He had been with the club since 2000, scoring 672 goals in 778 appearances and lifting 34 trophies.

The decorated attacker said Sunday that he wanted to stay at the Camp Nou, but when it became clear that was no longer possible, PSG moved quickly to secure arguably the most coveted signature in the sport.

“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,” club 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.”

PSG, desperate to hoist the Champions League trophy after years of heavy transfer expenditure, already added Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Achraf Hakimi to the squad this summer prior to the stunning acquisition of Messi.

It’s the end of an era at Barcelona.

After over two decades with the club, a record 672 goals, 34 trophies, and six Ballon d’Or awards, Lionel Messi is heading off. And it all went down during a whirlwind few hours on Thursday, as rumblings of his departure quickly morphed into a stunning – and surprisingly curt – announcement from the club, biding Messi a once inconceivable farewell.

Barcelona claim they did everything possible to retain the man widely regarded as the greatest footballer alive, and the team wasn’t shy about blaming La Liga for the Argentine icon’s exit, and not its own mismanagement.

Messi’s future was already taking shape before anyone could fully digest the news. Paris Saint-Germain is flush with cash, and they’re reportedly making inroads on a deal to bring the 34-year-old to the French capital on a free transfer.

How did it come to this? And how the heck can PSG, already loaded with expensive star power, afford Messi without running up against Financial Fair Play regulations?

Let’s attempt to answer those questions and more.

Wait, didn’t we go through all this last year?

Almost exactly a year ago!

Messi, who introduced “burofax” into the global lexicon, famously informed Barcelona last August that he was fed up with the state of the club, saying he intended to leave immediately. So, no, the prospect of Messi departing isn’t exactly novel.

But, of course, that saga ended with Barcelona managing to satiate their legendary forward. The election of Joan Laporta as president and the emergence of some young talent convinced the megastar to return for one more season, putting off any decision about his future until this summer.

Barcelona fans breathed an enormous sigh of relief. They would later celebrate when it was reported last month that Messi had agreed to a five-year contract extension set to reduce his gargantuan salary by 50% to ensure Barca could afford to retain his invaluable services.

That was the state of play until Thursday. In a way then, his bombshell departure did come out of nowhere.

Why didn’t he sign the new contract?

As Barcelona noted in their three-paragraph statement confirming Messi is leaving, they couldn’t afford to register the deal with La Liga. By all accounts, the agreement was reached between the two parties. Though some Spanish outlets claim an angered Messi and his father pulled the plug after Laporta tried to change the terms of the agreement at the last minute, the Catalan outfit maintains that isn’t accurate.

“Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations),” the La Liga side said.

“As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona,” the club added. “Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.”

La Liga imposes a salary cap on its clubs, and president Javier Tebas has maintained throughout the process that Barcelona wouldn’t be given any special treatment. The salary limit for the 2020-21 season was set at €382.7 million. Barca, incredibly, maintained the largest wage bill in Spain before the COVID-19 pandemic, coming in at a whopping €671 million.

Massive cuts needed to be made, but Barca have thus far been unable to sell anyone of note, with Antoine Griezmann – now the team’s highest earner without Messi – still on the books, along with a handful of others who are nearly impossible to move because of their significant salaries. Finding suitors that could digest those wages would be difficult during the best of times. It’s especially challenging now when almost every team is hurting financially amid the pandemic.

Instead of making the required sales and slashing the club’s wage bill, Barcelona compounded their problem, most notably adding Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay on free transfers. Perhaps that was in anticipation of Messi leaving and they knew all along. But on the surface, it certainly seems to have adversely affected the situation.

Did Barcelona not see the salary-cap issue coming?

Foresight hasn’t exactly been a strength of the Blaugrana’s brass in recent years. It’s impossible to overstate just how badly you have to mismanage FC Barcelona, a money-printing machine, for the club to be saddled with €1.173 billion of debt and unable to figure how to retain the services of the GOAT.

Laporta said Friday that Messi is “not happy” with the outcome while blasting La Liga – and, by extension, Tebas – for creating the obstacles that have, in his eyes, robbed the league of its best and most marketable superstar.

Laporta was also quick to point out that the financial situation he inherited upon being elected as club president for a second time was far worse than he initially realized. Naturally.

Shouldn’t La Liga make an exception here?

The club was given some leeway, mainly due to the impact of COVID-19 on every team’s finances. But Tebas was never going to back down, particularly after the Super League debacle, which he very publicly denounced. Barcelona, of course, remain in favor of the breakaway competition. The divide between the two parties is very clear.

Obviously, keeping Messi in Spain would be in the best interest of everyone – Barcelona, the league, and all the other clubs benefit massively from his presence. But this looks, at least in part, like a power struggle between Laporta and Tebas. The latter wasn’t going to make an exception to allow the Super League rebels to get the best of him.

There were suggestions that Barcelona’s statement, with its heavy posturing, was simply the club’s last-ditch bluff to spook Tebas into green-lighting the Messi deal, salary cap be damned.

That may be a cynical way of looking at things, but it’s absolutely possible! Not that the motive ultimately matters. The ploy, if it was one, didn’t work.

But didn’t La Liga just get a huge influx of cash?

La Liga sealed a deal to sell 10% of its commercial operations to private equity firm CVC for €2.7 billion earlier this week. The first- and second-division clubs – including Barca, who could fetch around €280 million – will share that windfall.

Problem solved, right? Not exactly.

La Liga said only a small portion of each team’s proceeds (15%) could be used on transfers and wages. That’s not nearly enough to cover Barcelona’s salary-cap deficit, meaning Messi’s contract still couldn’t be registered.

There’s also the issue of the deal itself, which Barca – and perennial rivals Real Madrid – publicly and staunchly opposed. Neither side was involved in the negotiations, and both teams claim Tebas made the sale without asking for input.

If anything, that deal created more discord between the two sides, not less. Not all cash is created equally, apparently.

So PSG, huh?

There were only a few realistic options once it was confirmed Messi was actually leaving the Camp Nou. And PSG, with their vast reserves of Qatari money, seemed like the most likely destination for a variety of reasons.

There’s an existing relationship with close friend and former Barca teammate Neymar, who’s been pushing for this move since arriving in the French capital. The presence of fellow Argentine Mauricio Pochettino certainly helps, too. PSG can give Messi another legitimate crack at the Champions League title, and unlike Barca, they won’t run him into the ground during league play. That’s surely enticing for the 34-year-old with the 2022 World Cup, likely his last such event with Argentina, on the horizon.

Ultimately, though, this probably came down to money. It always does.

PSG can offer Messi unrivaled wages. Why should he take a pay cut, after all? It wasn’t his fault Barcelona were in debt, and he’s entitled to finding the best possible deal as a free agent.

Obviously he doesn’t need the cash, but Messi can and should seek as much as possible. Once Manchester City spent a boatload on Jack Grealish, Pep Guardiola and Co. were out of the running, leaving PSG to pounce.

But how the hell can PSG afford this?

The shrug emoji was created for exactly this reason.

PSG, one of the game’s nouveau-rich sides, certainly appear to be above UEFA’s feeble regulations. Financial Fair Play (FFP) – which stipulates that clubs can’t spend more than the team earns – is powerless to stop state-owned teams from outspending the competition. And that’s not really PSG’s fault, as it’s UEFA’s responsibility to ensure an even playing field, and teams will use any means necessary to find an edge if it can’t.

PSG have sure done that, too. They’ve added free agents Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, and Georginio Wijnaldum on big contracts this summer in search of an elusive Champions League crown, all while signing Achraf Hakimi for €60 million from Inter Milan. And now they appear poised to land the biggest fish of all.

Meanwhile, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe are sitting on huge contracts of their own, and the club is adamant it’ll be able to keep the French star. It’s all very fanciful.

Adding Messi will of course help the team’s cash flow, but even he may not be capable of balancing the books.

The financial dealings of just about every major football club are shady at best. But PSG has established a proven track record of FFP breaches, and they’ve been punished previously. Yes, the club brings in massive revenue, but it’s difficult to envision a scenario in which this is all above board, especially in the current economic climate.

How will he fit in there?

Strictly looking at it from an on-pitch perspective, Messi suiting up at the Parc des Princes alongside Neymar and Mbappe is mouthwatering, tactics be damned. Whether it’s a devastating front three, Messi playing in the hole, or any other configuration you can imagine, that amount of otherworldly talent together will make magic happen.

Where each megastar fits into your rankings will vary, but there’s a very real argument that PSG will be rolling out three of the five best players on the planet if Messi arrives.

The gaudy numbers that Barcelona’s famed “MSN” triumvirate produced could easily pale in comparison to what these three superheroes might deliver, particularly during league play against some slightly less challenging foes. The Ligue 1 record for goals scored during a 38-match season is 118 (RC Paris in 1959-60), in case you were wondering.

The sight of Messi in a PSG shirt will appall many, but you better believe they’ll be tuning in each week.

What does this mean for Barcelona?

It’s … not great.

Barca have been heavily dependent on Messi in recent years while relying on the Argentine to progress the ball, create chances, and score goals. And he’s constantly delivered, keeping the Blaugrana competitive – and even making them title winners – almost single-handedly since Neymar left in 2017.

The likes of Pedri, Ansu Fati, and Frenkie de Jong are luminous young talents worthy of building any team around. But it’s painfully obvious that removing the sport’s best player comes with enormous ramifications for the on-pitch product.

Even if it’ll help Barcelona become financially stable in the long run, this move is a huge win for Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid from a competitive standpoint right now.

And for Messi?

An emotional Messi confirmed Sunday that he wanted to stay at Barcelona.

“This year, my family and I were convinced we were going to stay here, at home – this is what we wanted more than anything,” the Argentine, fighting to hold back tears, said during a sombre, surreal press conference.

“This is really difficult for me after so many years spent here – my entire life. I’m not ready for this,” he added.

You’re not alone, Leo.

Every year, a new crop of youngsters stakes a claim to their club’s starting XIs. Here, theScore selects 10 players 21 and under who could make a significant impact in Europe this season.

Mohamed Simakan

• Age: 21
• Club: RB Leipzig
• Position: Center-back

RB Leipzig beat AC Milan to the signing of center-back Simakan from FC Strasbourg, securing Dayot Upamecano’s replacement just a month after allowing him to join Bayern Munich. Simakan’s exceptional pace, aggressive play, and versatility make him the ideal defender for Leipzig’s high-octane football. He’d also fit well in a back-three, which Leipzig used on many occasions last season. Few defenders in his age group can progress the ball as well as Simakan.

Billy Gilmour

• Age: 20
• Club: Norwich City (on loan from Chelsea)
• Position: Central midfielder

As long as he stays fit, Gilmour will earn significant top-flight minutes for the first time in his career. The midfielder sat out most of last season with a serious knee injury, but he showed veteran poise in Chelsea’s midfield before that, controlling and dictating play in a limited number of appearances. He was named man of the match in Scotland’s goalless draw against England at Euro 2020 for a similarly composed display. He’ll now have a chance to star for Norwich in 2021-22 under a manager who demands his kind of progressive football in Daniel Farke.

Joe Willock

• Age: 21
• Club: Arsenal
• Position: Central midfielder

Newcastle United reportedly agreed to sign Willock from Arsenal for around £20 million, permanently securing a player who starred for them while on loan last season. Willock scored goals in each of his last seven games, helping the Magpies avoid relegation with his dynamic play and progressive ball-carrying in midfield. Willock is four games short of tying Jamie Vardy’s record for the longest scoring streak in Premier League history, and Newcastle boss Steve Bruce will likely lean heavily on him this coming season.

Harvey Elliott

• Age: 18
• Club: Liverpool
• Position: Right-winger

Elliott looks ready to make inroads at Liverpool after recording seven goals and 11 assists while on loan at Championship side Blackburn Rovers last season. Jurgen Klopp isn’t known for rotating his squad – he was hesitant to make significant changes during the 2020-21 campaign – but Elliott could be a suitable stand-in for Mohamed Salah when necessary. Klopp has also tested Elliott in a deeper midfield role, suggesting the Fulham product could team up with 20-year-old midfielder Curtis Jones to help replace Georginio Wijnaldum.

Jeremy Doku

• Age: 19
• Club: Stade Rennes
• Position: Right-winger

Doku is the latest youngster to take the road less traveled to secure playing time. He could have signed with a bigger team than Rennes, but the opportunity to play regularly was paramount. His first season in France was full of ups and downs – not unusual for a teenager trying to harness his electrifying ability. But Roberto Martinez showed faith in the Belgian youngster, handing him his international debut last September before calling upon him against Italy in the Euro 2020 quarterfinals. Doku’s direct runs frightened Italy’s backline, creating more problems for the eventual champions than any single opponent in the tournament. His time to shine has come.

Noni Madueke

• Age: 19
• Club: PSV Eindhoven
• Position: Right-winger

Madueke notched seven goals and four assists last season despite making most of his 24 appearances off the bench. Imagine what he could do with a full season of starts. He’ll have that opportunity in the coming campaign with former PSV playmaker Donyell Malen now at Borussia Dortmund. Madueke began with a brace in a 4-0 rout of Ajax in the Dutch Super Cup on Saturday. His first goal was a beauty, the culmination of a dominant run into the area. Madueke has been linked with a return to Tottenham Hotspur after spending time with the club as a youth player, but PSV would be wise to keep him for another season.

Liam Delap

• Age: 18
• Club: Manchester City
• Position: Forward

Pep Guardiola could turn to Delap – one of City’s standout academy players last season with 24 goals in the development league – if the club can’t afford to sign Harry Kane. Delap scored his first senior goal for City in a third-round Carabao Cup victory over Bournemouth last September and also made his Premier League debut. He has incredible strength for a teenager, and he’s an efficient ball-striker. His lack of discipline remains an issue, but his instincts in front of goal could convince Guardiola to keep him around the first team.

Giacomo Raspadori

• Age: 21
• Club: Sassuolo
• Position: Forward

It’s been a transformative few months for Raspadori. In April, the 21-year-old captained Sassuolo, the club he joined as a nine-year-old, and scored a brace off the bench in a win over Milan. He finished the season strong and convinced Roberto Mancini to call him up to Italy’s Euro 2020 squad, earning a winner’s medal. Though he’s relatively short for someone in his position, he makes up for any height disadvantage with his quickness in tight spaces. Look for the forward to kick on and break the 10-goal mark for the first time in his career.

Brian Brobbey

• Age: 19
• Club: RB Leipzig
• Position: Striker

Brobbey is expected to be Leipzig’s long-term replacement for Timo Werner, an intelligent and mobile striker who can play anywhere across the front line. The Dutchman thrived at the youth level, scoring 84 goals in 103 games with Ajax’s academy sides. Brobbey’s top-flight experience is relatively limited – he made just 12 league appearances with Ajax’s senior side – but the scouting report on him is glowing. The teenage forward is a livewire in the penalty area and a nightmare for defenders to mark out of the game. Brobbey’s work rate should be an asset to Leipzig, a club that demands high intensity and diligence off the ball.

Youssoufa Moukoko

• Age: 16
• Club: Borussia Dortmund
• Position: Striker

A year after becoming the Bundesliga’s youngest debutant and scorer at just 16 years old, Moukoko is in line to make more starts this season under new Dortmund coach Marco Rose. “We have to protect (his talent) and build it up carefully without slowing it down in any way,” Rose said recently. “I’m willing to encourage such good young players and to throw them into the game at some point.” Moukoko has nothing left to prove at the youth level after scoring 34 goals with Dortmund’s Under-19 squad in 2019-20, so the challenge should inspire him. Rose would also do well to groom Moukoko, who could replace Erling Haaland should he leave next summer.

Lionel Messi is ready to accept a contract from Paris Saint-Germain and will travel to undergo a medical with the French club, according to The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano.

Talks between Messi’s father, Jorge, and PSG started on Thursday – the day Barcelona confirmed Messi would be leaving Catalonia – and an official contract offer was submitted to the superstar on Sunday.

Messi’s PSG deal will reportedly last two years with an option for a third. He’s set to link up with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in Mauricio Pochettino’s attack.

The Argentine was in tears while confirming his departure from Barcelona earlier on Sunday. Staying at Barcelona was what he and his family “wanted more than anything,” the 34-year-old said, before adding that joining PSG was now a “possibility.”

Messi moved to Barcelona when he was 13 and went on to win 35 trophies with the club, including 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns. However, the attacker’s salary meant the club’s wage bill far exceeded its income, making his position untenable.

Even Messi’s reduced demands – he was reportedly willing to accept a 50% pay cut to extend his stay by five years – weren’t enough to reach a deal.

“The situation we have inherited is abominable,” said Joan Laporta, who returned for a second tenure as Barcelona’s president last November.

La Liga’s salary limit also forced Barcelona’s hand, with the cap for last season set at €382.7 million. Barcelona’s annual wage bill was €671 million before the coronavirus pandemic hit, and the club’s overall debt currently stands at around €1.173 billion.

Meanwhile, Qatari-owned PSG seemingly have bottomless reserves of cash. In addition to partnering with Neymar and Mbappe, Messi will join a club awash with lavishly paid stars. Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Achraf Hakimi have all arrived in the French capital this summer, joining the likes of Angel Di Maria, Marco Verratti, Mauro Icardi, and Marquinhos.

PSG are desperately pursuing their first triumphant Champions League campaign after losing in the final and being eliminated at the semifinal stage over the past two terms. They surrendered the Ligue 1 title to Lille in 2020-21, but PSG collected silverware in the Coupe de France.

The team opened its latest Ligue 1 season with Saturday’s scrappy 2-1 victory at Troyes. PSG next face Strasbourg, Brest, and Stade de Reims in the French top flight.