Lionel Messi in tears as he says goodbye to Barcelona

Messi, whose 21-year association with Barcelona recently came to an end, received a standing ovation as he informed that he will be leaving the club for which he has played 778 games across all competitions.

Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi broke down while speaking to the media about his exit from Barcelona, the club he had been playing for since he was 13 years old.

Messi, whose 21-year association with Barcelona recently came to an end, received a standing ovation as he informed that he will be leaving the club for which he has played 778 games across all competitions.

"We (Messi and his family) had always made this our own. We were at home. We thought we would be remaining here in Barcelona. But today, we have to say goodbye to all of this," an emotional Messi said.

The star footballer described how he tried everything, including accepting a 50% payout, to stay on at Barcelona. 

Stating that he could not imagine leaving the club in this manner, Messi promised to be back with the LaLiga side and help it become the best in the world.

The Argentinian superstar, who has won the coveted Ballon d'Or award six times in his career, has won Barcelona 10 league titles.

There is speculation that Messi may be headed for French club Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year contract worth Rs 257 crore annually after tax. However, Messi is yet to confirm the move to PSG.