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Lionel Messi is celebrating his birthday on Friday as he turns 35.
Messi is also entering the final 12 months of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (though the club have the option of adding another year) in what could prove to be a significant period as he starts to wind down his career.
Of course, there’s no specific reason to suggest that Messi is thinking about calling it quits at the highest level, but it stands to reason that given his age and contractual circumstance, there’s a possibility that 2022-23 might be his final season at a major European club.
So we thought we’d celebrate the Barcelona and Argentina legend’s big day by taking a look back at certain aspects of his incredible career to date; all he has achieved, all he has yet to achieve and even a few of the big milestones he may still pass.
– What does the future hold for Messi in 2023?
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Messi at PSG in 2021-22
Messi made a tearful move to PSG on a free transfer in August 2021 after Barcelona’s €1.2 billion debt prevented them from being able to offer him a new five-year contract.
Having only represented one club from the age of 13, the transfer sent ructions through football with many drawn to question whether a player of Messi’s gargantuan stature would be able to adapt to a new environment after so many years playing HIS way at HIS club.
While still far from poor form, Messi has struggled to match the formidably high output of his Barca pomp, registering the worst single-season scoring rate of his entire career in his inaugural campaign in Paris.
Messi scored 11 goals in 34 games in all competitions in 2021-22 and averaged 0.345 goals per 90 minutes at club level — his lowest return on record and worst since 2007-08 when he mustered a scoring rate of 0.43 goals per 90 mins (16 goals in 40 games) in what was an injury ravaged campaign for Barca.
However, it was better news on the assist front as Messi pitched in…
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Source : espn
