Paris Saint-Germain completed the free-agent signing of Lionel Messi on an initial two-year contract with an option for third on Tuesday. Messi now officially has a new club after his stunning departure from Barcelona, and he also has a new number. The Argentina international has chosen to wear the No. 30 jersey when he takes the pitch for the French giants.
The legendary 34-year-old finds familiar faces at Parc des Princes in Neymar, Angel Di Maria, Sergio Ramos, Keylor Navas and Leandro Paredes. Neymar already occupies Messi's preferred No. 10, which he wore for the majority of his 17-season career with Barcelona.
Reports have suggested that Neymar offered make the number available to his close friend but that the record six-time Ballon d'Or winner rejected and preferred to revert to one of his former numbers -- 19 and 30.
Ultimately, it will be 30, but that also came with no shortage of complexity. Firstly, it was already taken by backup goalkeeper Alexandre Letellier, and second, the No. 30 is considered a goalkeeper number along with the No. 1 and No. 16 jerseys.
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The request was made to France's Ligue de Football Professionnel with Letellier also stepping aside for Messi to take his number of choice with No. 40 also an emergency goalkeeper number according to the law.
Gianluigi Donnarumma already found out how awkward the French numbering rules can be when he tried to keep his No. 99 jersey from AC Milan but instead had to settle for No. 50 -- possibly instead of 40 -- with jersey numbers only allowed from 1-30 including three goalkeepers.
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