All posts by h716a5.icu

Teenage wonderkid Endrick is showing Real Madrid that he packs a punch prior to completing a €60 million (£52m/$66m) transfer to Santiago Bernabeu.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Teenager heading to Spain in 2024Continues to star in Brazil for nowHas become hottest of prospectsWHAT HAPPENED?

The highly-rated 17-year-old is heading to Spain, with a big-money move to La Liga giants Real set to be pushed through in July 2024 once he turns 18. For now, the precocious youngster continues to turn out in his native Brazil for Palmeiras.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Endrick’s exploits in front of goal have allowed him to catch Real’s eye, with the forward racking up goals despite his tender years. He is, however, proving to his future employers that he boasts much more than creative ability and finishing skills.

DID YOU KNOW?

During a meeting with Fortaleza, with Palmerias trailing early in the second half to a goal from Thiago Galhardo, Endrick appeared to lash out at marker Titi. He was clearly not impressed with the attention being shown to him by the no-nonsense defender and looked to have delivered a punch into the midriff of his opponent.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WATCH THE CLIP

The Dutch defender tops the list after his record-breaking move to Liverpool, beating out a trio of Man City players

Getty1Danilo

The defender nearly made this list twice. He moved from Porto to Real Madrid after the 2014-15 season for €31.5 million, and after a less than stellar tenure there, he moved to Manchester City prior to 2017-18 for €30m. 

AdvertisementGetty Images2David LuizAs impressive as appearing on this list twice is, Luiz could have made it three times. His €35 million transfer from PSG back to Chelsea in 2016 actually counted as a substantial drop in his value from just a few years before. Getty Images3Mats HummelsAnother returnee to his old team, Hummels became yet another player to join Bayern Munich directly from Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund when he made a €35 million move prior to the 2016-17 campaign. ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images4Victor LindelofJose Mourinho may like to claim Manchester City spend striker money on defenders, but he's prone to big splashes on the back line as well, evidenced by his acquisition of Lindelof from Benfica prior to the 2017-18 season for €35 million.

Mohamed Salah continues to be linked with a transfer to Saudi Arabia, with Glen Johnson naming the price that Liverpool have to accept in any deal.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Egyptian star centre of speculationMove to Middle East mootedReds reluctant to consider saleWHAT HAPPENED?

The Egypt international forward is tied to a contract at Anfield through to 2025, but that has done little to curb the speculation regarding his future. Al-Ittihad are said to be readying a second approach for the 31-year-old that could see world transfer records smashed.

AdvertisementGettyImageWHAT THEY SAID

It would take a bid of that kind for Liverpool to consider parting with a talismanic presence, and former Reds defender Johnson has told of the figure that may get a green light: “If a Saudi club wants a player, then they’ll make it very hard for teams to say no to them because they’re prepared to offer crazy money. Mo Salah is not the Mo Salah of two years ago and if Liverpool receive an offer of £200 million, then they’ve got to accept it. Mo has smashed a load of records and has won everything with Liverpool, so it should be his decision. Does he want to continue challenging for major honours or does he want to play in a league that’s of a lower standard and earn an absolute fortune? It all depends on what Mo wants and if Saudi wants him and he wants to go, then it’s going to be very difficult for Liverpool to stop it.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Pressed on whether Liverpool’s owners would run the risk of damaging their relationship with Jurgen Klopp were a sale to be sanctioned, Johnson added: “Yes, definitely. The manager is only as good as his players, so he’s going to want the strongest team possible. I’m not suggesting they’re going to but if the owners decide to sell Mo after the Premier League’s transfer window has closed, then that’s going to cause friction as Jurgen will be desperate to keep Mo. However, if Liverpool can sell Salah for £200 million and Jurgen can spend that money on four new players in either January or next summer then it’s not the worst thing in the world, but the owners and the manager need to be in the same camp.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Salah has spent the last six years at Liverpool, scoring 188 goals through 309 appearances that have seen him break countless records. His efforts have helped the Reds to Premier League, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Community Shield honours.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has revealed what impressed him most about youngster Kobbie Mainoo's performance against Everton last weekend.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Mainoo starts vs EvertonYoung midfielder is stand-out performerTen Hag reveals what impresses him mostWHAT HAPPENED?

The 53-year-old has waxed lyrical about Mainoo's influential performance against the Toffees, after the Red Devils secured a 3-0 win on Sunday.

The 18-year-old was on the bench for the recent 3-3 draw against Galatasaray in the Champions League, but Ten Hag's comments about his performance against Everton could hint at a return to the starting eleven to face Newcastle United this weekend.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT TEN HAG SAID

Speaking ahead of the clash against the Magpies, Ten Hag commented on a possible return to the starting line-up for the young midfielder. "If he's ready or not, he showed on Sunday [vs Everton] he was ready," Ten Hag said. "We have to manage three games in six days to get the best results of all the games. We have more than 11 players, we have good options there. Sofyan [Amrabat] also showed he was playing a very good game. We have the options, you manage the load of the players and it's about freshness as well."

When asked what impressed him most about the midfielder, Ten Hag added: "His scanning. It looks like he always has time because he is scanning, he is running free, then he is scanning to see the options and then make the right decisions. He can delay, he can speed up. He makes the right decisions."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Mainoo's performance in the Premier League is only made more impressive when considering it was his first game in the starting line-up after a four-month spell on the sidelines, after suffering an ankle injury in pre-season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MAINOO?

After a disappointing draw to Galatasaray on Wednesday, the focus will now shift to a tough clash against Eddie Howe's impressive Newcastle side on Saturday evening. The Red Devils currently sit in sixth place, just one point ahead their upcoming opponents in seventh, highlighting how important the upcoming clash will be.

The Real Madrid and Juventus centre-backs head up the list of the best defensive players on the new iteration of the game

Getty Images10. Toby Alderweireld | CB | Tottenham | Belgium

Overall rating: 85

Defending: 88
Physical: 78

AdvertisementGetty Images9. Miranda | CB | Inter | Brazil

Overall rating: 85

Defending: 88
Physical: 76

Getty Images8. Thiago Silva | CB | PSG | Brazil

Overall rating: 88

Defending: 88
Physical: 79

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty7. Samuel Umtiti | CB | Barcelona | France

Overall rating: 87

Defending: 88
Physical: 82

Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are set to fight it out for Lille's centre-back Leny Yoro, with Manchester United also in the mix.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

European giants interested in wonderkid YoroAgent Jorge Mendes will be key to transferLille set €60m price tag on defenderWHAT HAPPENED?

The upcoming summer transfer market is already heating up, and one of the hottest prospects attracting attention is the 18-year-old central defender from Lille. With the Kylian Mbappe transfer saga still dragging on between Madrid and PSG, the focus now shifts to Yoro, who has been dubbed as one of the most promising talents in European football.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

According to Madrid have been monitoring Yoro for months and the technical staff of Los Blancos hold the young centre-back in high regard. Meanwhile, PSG had already attempted to secure his services in the previous winter window, but Yoro opted to remain at Lille until the end of the current season.

However, PSG face a significant obstacle in their pursuit of Yoro: Lille's reluctance to sell to a direct competitor like the Parisians, with whom they have strained relations. Lille's president, Olivier Letang, favours selling Yoro to an overseas club rather than PSG, given the history between the two clubs. However, the player's agent, Jorge Mendes, has a strong relationship with PSG's sporting advisor, Luis Campos which could tilt the scales in favour of the reigning Ligue 1 champions.

DID YOU KNOW?

Lille has reportedly set Yoro's price tag at €60 million (£51m/$65m), a significant rise from the €20m (£17m/$21.56m) at the beginning of the season. However, Lille's negotiating position has weakened as talks for Yoro's contract renewal have allegedly stalled and his current deal expires in 2025. Amidst this backdrop, Manchester United have also expressed interest in Yoro, further intensifying the competition for his signature.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT?

As the summer transfer window approaches, the battle for Yoro's services is expected to escalate, with Lille facing the prospect of losing their prized asset to one of Europe's elite clubs. In the short term, Yoro will be in action against Le Havre in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Shane Watson has admitted that he thought he had played his last World Cup match for Australia after being dropped for the Afghanistan game

Daniel Brettig17-Mar-2015When informed by Rod Marsh that he would not be selected to face Afghanistan, Shane Watson thought his World Cup was over. If he did not allow his mind to race forward to what the implications were for his Test career, he certainly wondered whether much of the work he had done over the preceding six months had been for nothing.Watson went through all the well-worn tropes of the dumped player: the supportive hand on the shoulder from Shane Warne, the drinks duty, the impromptu press conference through an airport terminal. He handled it all with considerable grace, and was unexpectedly rewarded for it by being granted an instant recall for the Sri Lanka match at the SCG, when a dry pitch diverted selectors from their preference for Mitchell Marsh.A major partnership with Glenn Maxwell ensued, and Watson now appears to have reverted to being the selectors’ first choice for the remainder of the tournament, albeit in a new role in the middle order with Steven Smith at No.3. This all sits well with Watson, given how he had spent the better part of 72 hours pondering what life would be like outside the Australian World Cup team.”I wasn’t expecting to play, after being dropped for the Afghanistan game, for the rest of the tournament,” Watson said in Adelaide. “Rod Marsh at that time made it very clear what their intentions were. It’s amazing how things can turn around even quicker than I thought they would.”Thinking at the time that that was going to be potentially my last chance of playing in a World Cup at home I had to come to the realisation of that. But the burning desire that’s been in me since I got dropped has been something that it really lit inside of me, something that I know is going to hold me in good stead – over the next couple of years, hopefully, because I don’t want to be feeling like that again.”Part of what Watson was feeling was frustration that he had been on the verge of good scores for a long time, but been unable to harvest them. Technical tweaks had been bedded down, but his mentality was too impatient and given to challenging outfielders with blows for the fences. As Daniel Vettori proved at Eden Park, this was not sustainable.”I knew I was very, very close to be able to nail it, I really did,” Watson said. “The couple of weeks in the lead-up I just had to change a few things – one with my technique but also my mental approach to how I was going to really take on the one-day games at that time. I was just trying to take too many risks when I was batting, trying to hit the ball in the air way too much, which meant I was exposing myself and giving myself a chance of getting out – especially at crucial times when I was batting.”The lead-up to the New Zealand game, I just worked on a couple of things technically to be able to free up my game a little bit. But the mental approach definitely wasn’t exactly right. Getting out to Dan Vettori the way I did was definitely a mental error. It certainly wasn’t a technical error. I was just thinking about trying to hit the ball in the air too much. I was taking too many risks and that was a big reality check even before I got dropped.”I’m extremely grateful that Glenn Maxwell saw me as a person he could come and chat to, because I know I’ve got a lot to give with the life experience I’ve had – in and outside cricket”•Getty Images”It hadn’t been smart enough as well, the way that I’d been batting. I was just lucky that I got another opportunity to be able show it to myself, that the things I’d made adjustments to were able to click straight away.”What helped it click was the stand with Maxwell, who allowed Watson critical room to get comfortable at the crease by finding gaps with a level of confidence that reminded the older man of simpler times in his own career. It was also a confirmation of the change he was trying to make to his own game.Add the fact that Watson had been a figure of advice and companionship for Maxwell at a difficult time in the Victorian’s personal life and it was a partnership built on solid, and layered foundations. “The thing that was most incredible to me is that he never took on someone in the outfield, very rarely,” Watson said. “He was always into the gaps, so even if he mis-hit the ball it still went in the gap for four. That shows he’s got incredible skill, to be able to hit the ball wherever he wants, maneuver the ball off world-class bowling.”From the other side of things, part of being an experienced guy in the team means I’ve experienced quite a lot in my life, especially being in and around the Australian cricket team for a number of years now. I just know I’ve been through different challenges throughout my life and my career as well, so I know it’s my duty in and around this group to be able to help guys out who are going through challenging times in their career – whether it’s on the field or off the field.”I’m extremely grateful that Glenn saw me as a person he could come and chat to, because I know I’ve got a lot to give with the life experience I’ve had – in and outside cricket. It’s really nice to be able to see when you can make a little bit of a difference with someone, who is then able to really show it out on the cricket field as well. The experience I had with Glenn out on the field is one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had.”For a while, Watson’s Cup was over. Now, it may runneth over.

There is no room for the Argentina captain in our all-star selection, which is unsurprisingly dominated by players from the triumphant Selecao

Alexandre Schneider1Everton (Brazil)

Another young Brazilian striker that stepped up in the final third was Everton as he ended the Copa America as joint-top scorer with three goals to his name.

The 23-year-old opened the scoring in the final against Peru as he arrived at the back post to volley home a Jesus cross at the first time of asking. 

While a crucial and composed strike, Everton's first goal at the tournament against Bolivia was the standout as he cut in from the left wing and rifled the ball home. 

Still playing club football for Brazilian club Gremio, the explosive attacker is set to spark plenty of transfer speculation and suggested last month his style of play could fit in at Old Trafford.

"I'm a player that's always trying to get on top… cutting in from the left with dribbles and good finishes," Everton told the

"Clubs in Europe have this style of play too and maybe I can fit in at Manchester United and others."

AdvertisementGetty2Gabriel Jesus (Brazil)

Two goals. Two assists. One red card.

It was a turbulent but overall very successful Copa America for Gabriel Jesus, who was controversially sent off in the final against Peru. 

Despite his dismissal, the Manchester City striker stood out in the decider as he set up Everton for the opener before slotting home Brazil's second. 

While a questionable second yellow saw Jesus end the tournament on the sidelines, his contribution for Brazil throughout was significant, with the 22-year-old putting a barren World Cup behind him and showing he's ready to star up front for the Selecao. 

Getty3Edison Flores (Peru)

Two superb strikes from Peruvian winger Edison Flores highlight what was a strong tournament for the 25-year-old. 

After a cool finish against Bolivia, Flores gave his nation the lead against Chile in the semi-finals with a thunderous volley at the near post. 

Currently playing club football for Mexican side Morelia, the pacey attacker will surely attract some transfer interest over the coming weeks having turned heads in Brazil with his lightning pace and cool finishing. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty4Charles Aranguiz (Chile)

Chile ace ​Charles Aranguiz ended the Copa America with the joint-most assists after setting up three of his nation's seven goals. 

The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder was particularly dangerous with his crosses and created a whopping 11 goalscoring chances across wins over Japan and Ecuador.

After such a strong showing in Brazil, the 30-year-old has reportedly attracted the attention of West Ham and AC Milan – two clubs that could certainly benefit from the versatile Chilean. 

All 32 squads that will be competing at the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer

All eyes will be firmly fixed on Australia and New Zealand this summer for the latest instalment of the Women's World Cup. Reigning champions, the United States are looking to lift one of the biggest prizes in football for the fifth time, but they will face stiff competition from the likes of England, Germany and France.

Although a whole host of big names will, unfortunately, be absent from the action due to injury, there will still be plenty of star talent on display, including the likes of Megan Rapinoe, Marta and Alessia Russo.

The next generation of women's football stars, such as Aoba Fujino, Alyssa Thompson and Melchie Dumornay, will also aim to turn heads.

Below are all 32 confirmed squads for this summer's showpiece event, including which club each player turns out for.

Getty ImagesNew Zealand

Hosts New Zealand will be looking to get out of the group for the first time in their history this summer. Backed by a home crowd, they will be confident of springing a surprise.

Head coach Jitka Klimkova named her final squad after trimming her squad from 33 to 23.

Position NameClubGoalkeeperVictoria Esson RangersGoalkeeperErin Nayler IFK NorrkopingGoalkeeperAnna LeatAston VillaDefenderAli Riley Angel CityDefenderClaudia Bunge Melbourne VictoryDefenderElizabeth AntonPerth Glory DefenderCJ BottLeicester CityDefenderMichaela FosterUnattached DefenderRebekah StottBrighton MidfielderAnnalie Longo UnattachedMidfielderBetsy HassettWellington PhoenixMidfielderDaisy Cleverley HB Koge MidfielderKatie Bowen UnattachedMidfielderMalia SteinmetzUnattached MidfielderOlivia ChanceCeltic MidfielderRia Percival Tottenham HotspurForwardGabi Rennie Arizona StateForwardGrace Jale Unattached ForwardIndiah-Paige Riley UnattachedForwardHannah Wilkinson Melbourne CityForwardJacqui Hand Aland United Forward Milly CleggWellington Phoenix ForwardPaige Satchell UnattachedAdvertisementGetty ImagesNorway

Norway thoroughly underwhelmed at Euro 2022, losing 8-0 to hosts England en route to crashing out at the group stage. Their squad is ridiculously top-heavy, as they possess an embarrassment of attacking riches, including Caroline Graham Hansen, Ada Hegerberg and Guro Reiten. Manchester United defender Maria Thorisdottir misses out through injury, while Brighton's Elisabeth Terland was a surprise omission.

Terland, Emma Stolen Godo, and Malin Brenn registered for the 2023 Women's World Cup finals as reserve players, Riise's final 23-player squad was announced on June 19.

Position PlayerClubGoalkeeperCecilie Fiskerstrand LSKGoalkeeperGuro Pettersen ValerengaGoalkeeperAurora MikalsenSK BrannDefenderAnja SonstevoldInterDefenderTuva Hansen Bayern MunichDefenderGuro Begsvand BrightonDefenderMaren Mjelde ChelseaDefenderMathilde Harviken RosenborgDefenderSara HorteRosenborgDefenderMarit Bratberg LundSK BrannMidfielderThea BjeldeValerengaMidfielderIngrid Engen BarcelonaMidfielderVilde Boe RisaManchester UnitedMidfielderGuro ReitenChelseaMidfielderFrida MaanumArsenalMidfielderAmalie EikelandReadingMidfielderEmilie HaaviRomaForwardJulie BlakstadManchester CityForwardCaroline Graham HansenBarcelonaForwardAda Hegerberg LyonForwardSophie Roman HaugRomaForwardKarina Saevik AvaldsnesForwardAnna Josendal RosenborgPhilippines

Playing at their first Women's World Cup, the Philippines will focus on enjoying themselves this summer. They have released a provisional squad but six players will be cut before the tournament.

PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeperKiara FontanillaCentral Coast MarinersGoalkeeperKaiya JotaStanford Cardinal GoalkeeperOlivia McDaniel Milwaukee PanthersGoalkeeper Inna Palacios Kaya-Iloilo DefenderMaya Alcantara Georgetown HoyasDefender Alicia BarkerIllinois Fighting IlliniDefenderAngela BeardWestern UnitedDefender Reina BontaSantosDefenderMalea CesarBlacktown CityDefenderJessica CowartIFK KalmarDefenderSofia HarrisonWerder Bremen DefenderHali LongKaya-Iloilo Defender Dominique Randle Þór/KAMidfielder Tahnai Annis Þór/KAMidfielderRyley Bugay FC SaarbruckenMidfielderAnicka CastanedaMt Druitt Town RangersMidfielderSara Eggesvik KIL/HemneMidfielderQuinley Quezada Red Star BelgradeMidfielder Jaclyn Sawicki Western UnitedForward Sarina Bolden Western Sydney Wanderers ForwardIsabella Flanigan West Virginia MountaineersForwardCarleigh Frilles Blacktown SpartansForwardKatrina Guillou Pitea IFForwardChandler McDaniel Milwaukee PanthersForwardMeryll Serrano StabaekENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesSwitzerland

Switzerland will be hopeful of getting out of the group, having failed to do so at Euro 2022. They will be spearheaded by Ramona Bachmann with Lia Walti pulling the strings in the middle.

Following the announcement of the final squad on July 3, injured Iman Beney (ACL) had to be replaced by Amira Arfaoui.

PositionPlayerClubGoalkeeper Seraina Friedli FC ZurichGoalkeeperLivia PengLevanteGoalkeeperGaelle ThalmannReal BetisDefenderEseosa Aigbogun Paris FCDefenderLuana BuhlerHoffenheimDefenderViola Calligaris Levante DefenderLaura Felber ServetteDefenderNoelle MaritzArsenalDefenderLara Marti Bayer LeverkusenDefenderNadine Riesen FC ZurichDefenderJulia Stierli FC ZurichMidfielderSandrine MauronServetteMidfielderSeraina Piubel FC Zurich MidfielderGeraldine ReutelerEintracht Frankfurt MidfielderMarion Rey FC ZurichMidfielderCoumba Sow ServetteMidfielderLia Walti ArsenalForwardRamona Bachmann Paris Saint-GermainForwardAna Maria CrnogorcevicBarcelonaForwardAlisha LehmannAston VillaForwardFabienne HummFC ZurichForwardMeriame TerchounDijonForwardAmira ArfaouiBayer Leverkusen

The Argentine may be the greatest player of all time, but he's sadly come to symbolise everything that's wrong with the Qatari-backed club

On Thursday afternoon, Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier finally confirmed the worst-kept secret in football: Lionel Messi will play his final match for the club this weekend, against Clermont. It won't be a fond farewell.

Galtier was grateful for having had the opportunity to work with "the best player in the history of football" – and while the fans wouldn't dispute that claim, they have a very different view of the Argentine. As far as they are concerned, Messi is the personification of PSG's problems, the most miserable manifestation of the Qatari's club's obsession with superstar signings that come to Parc des Princes for nothing other than money.

He may have scored 32 goals in two seasons, and provided ample evidence of his enduring genius, but the majority of supporters don't feel blessed to have had the chance to watch The GOAT in action; they mostly feel used.

Getty Images'Messi doesn't win us anything!'

In their eyes, it is no coincidence that they only saw something resembling the very best version of Messi in the run-up to the 2022 World Cup. The pervading feeling is that PSG primarily served as a springboard, allowing Messi to arrive in Qatar in optimal physical condition.

"The joke is that we saw his matches in Qatar, I saw his movements, how he invested himself," former PSG winger Jerome Rothen fumed on after the pathetically tame Champions League last-16 exit in Munich. "And I don't mind that, considering it's the national team jersey, a separate thing, but hey, respect the club in the [French] capital a little, the one which allows you to maintain a status and salary.

"Only PSG could give him all of that and, obviously, PSG fell at his feet because they thought Messi was going to help us win [the Champions League]. But he doesn't win us anything!" At least nothing of real consequence.

AdvertisementGettyInsignificant, inevitable Ligue 1 titles

PSG won back-to-back to Ligue 1 titles with Messi but, honestly, so what? Just look at the reaction to those inevitable victories. The fans were so disgusted by last season's Champions League capitulation in Madrid that they skipped the club's subsequent title celebrations at Parc des Princes. Some players felt that was disrespectful – but not one dared complain this year, given the meekness of their European exit.

They know full well that such a high-spending club has to be held to higher standards. The success of a season is determined by Champions League results – and the same simply has to be said of Messi's transfer. There were also numerous commercial considerations but, ostensibly, that's why he was signed: to help PSG win a first European Cup.

It was also his stated reason for joining. Messi felt that PSG offered him his best shot at winning a fifth Champions League. In reality, though, it was more to do with the fact that they were the only elite side willing to meet his wage demands.

Understandable fan fury

Let's face it, Messi could have joined a better-run and better-equipped club to challenge for the club game's top trophy, but he followed the money – and the fans were aware of that from early on. They noted that the only time he came to acknowledge their support after a game, he had been pressured into doing so by his good friend and team-mate Neymar.

Has some of the criticism he's come in for been over the top? Undoubtedly. Some supporters have also gone way too far in expressing their dissatisfaction with both Messi and Neymar. However, Messi has never come close to investing as much in PSG as they did in him, meaning this has always felt more like a transaction than a transfer, one that didn't benefit the fans in any way.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)Getty ImagesThe Messi effect

PSG obviously received a significant boost on a commercial level. As PSG's sponsorship director, Marc Armstrong, told GOAL in December 2021, "We have really felt an impact in all of our business areas: from sponsorship and merchandising to hospitality and ticketing.

"The club also gained 20 million new subscribers to their social media accounts in the week which followed his arrival. We had the highest engagement rate in the history of player announcements," Armstrong enthused.

These impressive numbers explain why PSG were initially so keen to keep Messi for another season. He was utterly integral to a brand built on high-profile players. "Messi was more of a marketing deal than a sporting signing,"one fan recently told GOAL's Marc Mechenoua. "He ended up representing everything we hate about the QSI project for the past three or four years."