Where is Lionel Messi from?

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Lionel Messi hails from Rosario in the Santa Fe province of Argentina. The diminutive forward has enjoyed a spectacular rise to fame since joining Barcelona aged just 13. During his 17-year-long association with the first-team at Camp Nou, Lionel Messi went on to achieve several records.

Notably, the 34-year-old is Barcelona's all-time leading goalscorer and has also won the Ballon d'Or a record six times. Lionel Messi is also widely regarded as one of the front-runners to win the prestigious award for a record-extending seventh time after guiding Argentina to the Copa America title in 2021.

🎙| Laporta: “Even with the departure of Griezmann and the pay cut of the four captains, Messi could not stay.”

— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) September 6, 2021

More recently, Messi was involved in one of the most heartbreaking transfer sagas of all time. Despite agreeing on a pay-cut to remain at Barcelona, Lionel Messi was unable to re-sign with the club owing to their financial predicament. In the end, Messi decided to seek a fresh challenge with PSG in France as La Liga opted against easing the financial regulations imposed on Barcelona.

As soon as news of Lionel Messi's exit surfaced, PSG initiated contact with his entourage. There were also reports of a reunion with his former manager Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, but PSG comfortably snapped up Messi on a two-year deal. The Ligue 1 giants also reserve the right to extend Lionel Messi's contract for another year.

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Lionel Messi's PSG debut sets viewership record in Spain

Messi, who was an integral part of Barcelona, made his debut for PSG against Reims before the international break. The forward came off the bench in the second half and clocked a little over 20 minutes for his new team.

Notably, the game set a new viewership record in Spain due to Messi making his debut. As many as 6,734,000 people reportedly watched the game on TV, making it the most-viewed Ligue 1 game in the country.

Lionel Messi was the most fouled player on his PSG debut.He was only on the pitch for 24 minutes 💥 pic.twitter.com/pczXLRB7u5

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 30, 2021

Kosmos Holdings, owned by Messi's former team-mate Gerard Pique, has secured the broadcast rights for Ligue 1 in Spain. The deal has already helped popularize the league in the country, with several fans still keen to watch Messi play on a weekly basis.

Following the acquisition of Messi, PSG will be desperate to try and win the Champions League this season. The Ligue 1 giants have been drawn alongside Manchester City, RB Leipzig and Club Brugge in Group A of the competition. Messi and PSG begin their European adventure away from home to Club Brugge on September 15.