Lionel Messi officially has a new team, joining French power Paris Saint-Germain following 21 years spent with Barcelona. Barcelona sent shockwaves across the soccer world when it announced five days prior that it couldn't afford to re-sign the year-old, and PSG moved quickly to secure the services of the six-time FIFA Player of the Year. Messi joins close friend and former Barcelona teammate, Neymar, as well as rising star Kylian Mbappe at PSG, along with a host of other big names assembled by the deep-pocketed PSG ownership group.
I know how talented the players and staff are here. I am determined to build, alongside them, something great for the club and for the fans. I can't wait to set foot on the Parc des Princes pitch. Full schedule. The ambition of the club is of course identical. In appearances for the club, Neymar scored goals making him one of the brightest prospects in Brazil at that time. His breakthrough year for the Brazil national team came in the FIFA Confederations Cup where his exceptional performance helped the Selecao win the title beating reigning world champions Spain in the final.
Santos still can count on some wonderful teenagers -- centre-back Kaiky, midfielders Sandry and Gabriel Pirani, winger Angelo. But it is asking a lot to demand that these players drag Santos clear of a first ever, and potentially disastrous, descent to the second division. On Wednesday they host Fluminense, full of beans after a memorable local derby win over Flamengo at the weekend.
Then comes a visit to Athletico Parananense, one of the most difficult away games in the league, followed by a high octane Sao Paulo derby against Palmeiras. The fixture list is not helping. The club with the fishy nickname, founded on the very day that the Titanic went down now, must advert its own iceberg to avoid further floundering. Skip to main content Skip to navigation.
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Arsenal's Cedric ready to fight for his place at the club he always wanted to join. He had nothing left to prove with Santos, where he honed his skills for four years.
He was prepared to make the jump without waiting until next summer. Although Neymar was already gaining worldwide attention, it isn't until he proves himself against elite competition that he'll truly earn his place among the world's best players.
Santos wasn't going to provide that opportunity for him. Joining a bigger club will also allow his stock to rise ahead of the World Cup. He's expected to take center stage as Brazil attempts to return to the forefront of the football world on home soil. It's a role that includes a massive amount of pressure. Now, he'll get a taste of that next season with his new club. He's ready for the challenge. There might be a brief transition period, but it's only a matter of time before he'll make an impact.
The other aspect to consider is the potential for Neymar to become the face of the club for a long time.
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