Lionel Messi spoke at his first news conference as a Paris Saint-Germain player on Wednesday and said after a "very tough" end to his Barcelona career, his target is to win the Champions League again.

PSG announced Messi's arrival on Tuesday with the former Barcelona player signing a two-year contract, with the option of a further year. Sources told ESPN's Julien Laurens that Messi is expected to earn between €30-35 million ($35-41m) net a year.

- Messi's tearful farewell on Barcelona's day like no other
- The definitive timeline of Messi's Barcelona career
- Merci, Messi! 'A new diamond in Paris'

Messi was presented at the news conference at PSG's Parc des Princes and his name was chanted amid a round of applause as he took his seat alongside club president Nasser al-Khelaifi.

He spoke about his desire to win the Champions League for a fifth time, the end to his career at Camp Nou, and his excitement at playing alongside teammates Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

"My exit from Barca was very tough, after so many years, but as soon as I arrived here I was so happy, so motivated, so excited. It has happened so fast, but I am enjoying it so much," Messi said.

"My goal and my dream is to win the Champions League once more. I think that we have the team to do it here.

"The squad and coaches here are capable of winning everything, which is my objective. The team here is incredible. There have been some amazing signings. This will be an unbelievable experience for me. I do not know when I will first be able to play and I might need some preseason conditioning first. I really want to begin the training sessions, I really want it to be quick."

On his teammates Neymar and Mbappe -- the top two most expensive players in history at €222m and €180m respectively -- Messi said: "I am very happy. It's crazy. I'm going to play with the best players in the world, and that's always good."

Wednesday's news conference was moved from its original slot of Tuesday as the club needed more time to cope with logistics, given the worldwide media interest in the transfer of the six-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Messi spoke at his Barcelona farewell news conference on Sunday and said PSG were an option and, speaking Wednesday, thanked the new club for how quickly negotiations were concluded. The Argentina international, who won the Copa America with his country this summer, also spoke about the possibility of facing his former club in the Champions League this season.

"I am very grateful that such complicated negotiations were made so easy," he said. "I left Barcelona without knowing where I was going. This week has been hard, quick and emotional. But I am excited about this new stage for my career and my family.

"[PSG] had positioned themselves from the first day, even though it wasn't easy in these conditions. I want to thank the club for the work it's done and the welcome I've had.

"The Barca fans knew I'd join a good club, fighting for the Champions League, because they know me, I like to win, I'm a winner and I want to carry on doing that.

"I don't doubt that PSG's objectives are to win and grow. It would be nice on the one hand to face them in the Champions League, especially with fans, but on the other strange to go back to my home in another team's shirt -- but that's football."

Messi moved to Paris after Barcelona failed to register his five-year contract at Camp Nou due to financial complications surrounding LaLiga's rules on salaries. Messi's proposed deal meant Barcelona's wage bill stood at 110% of their revenue, way above the 70% limit. Their spending cap with LaLiga has dropped from over €600 million in 2019-20 to an expected €200m for the coming season, which made it impossible to register Messi's new deal, even with a pay cut. His previous terms included a base salary of around €70m gross without bonuses.

"I am speaking from the bottom of my heart. Thank you to everybody for making this happen. Bringing the best player in the world here. The hard work starts now," Al-Khelaifi said.

"This is an amazing and historic day for the club and football world. Leo makes football magic, beautiful ... he's a winner. It's no secret there was a great desire [between PSG and Messi] to make this happen.

"We have someone here next to me, he won lots of trophies and I am sure he will bring lots of trophies to the club, with his squad, with his teammates, the best players in the world, and amazing coach, for me he is the best in the world."

Al-Khelaifi was also asked about Mbappe's future and the financial fair play ramifications of Messi's move to PSG. Mbappe's contract at PSG is due to expire in 2022.

"I was waiting for that question," Al-Khelaifi said. "We have always respected financial fair play. We checked with our financial people and knew that we could sign him. What the media need to focus on is not just the negative but also the positives that he will bring.

"I think we have the most competitive team. Now there is no choice for Kylian but to stay here in Paris."

Al-Khelaifi said people would be "shocked" by the financial revenues Messi would bring the club, though he quipped: "I hope Leo will not ask for more salary."

Messi scored a record 672 goals in 778 appearances for Barca, winning 10 LaLiga titles, the Copa del Rey seven times, the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup three times apiece and the Champions League on four occasions.

In July, he also won his first major international honour when he helped Argentina win the Copa America.

The Europe qualifier for next year's World Cup will take place in September as Scotland and Ireland vie for a place at the finals.

The tournament will be round-robin, with the winners booking a place in New Zealand.

The runners-up in Italy will enter a final qualification tournament.

Samoa, the second placed team from Asian qualifying and the winners of a South America/Africa play-off will compete in that repechage.

England, Wales, France, Australia, South Africa, Canada, United States and Fiji are already assured of places, along with hosts and holders New Zealand, for the finals, which run from 8 October-12 November, 2022.

Scotland and Ireland did not meet in a truncated Six Nations in April, while the Scots suffered a 41-20 home defeat to Italy.

Ireland beat Italy 25-5 in the third place play-off.

Scotland head coach Bryan Easson said: "Despite the challenges of the past year, our goal of World Cup qualification has remained the same.

"The squad continued to work hard after the end of the Six Nations and following a two week break in July, they have stepped up the intensity and are looking forward to another preparation camp in Largs next week.

"With the tournament on the horizon, our focus now is to turn the hard work into solid performances on the pitch."

DULUTH, Ga. – Willie Mack III ran off three early birdies to pull away and closed with an 8-under 64 on Tuesday for a six-shot victory in the Mastercard APGA Tour Championship.

The victory was worth $27,500 to Mack. He earned $10,000 for the victory at the TPC Sugarloaf, along with $17,500 for winning the Lexus Cup Points title and player of the year.

It capped a memorable seven months for Mack, who received sponsor exemptions to two PGA Tour events on the West Coast Swing, and then made the cut in his last two PGA Tour starts at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and John Deere Classic.

Patrick Newcombe had a 69 to finish second. Tim O’Neal (70) and Aaron Beverly (71) were another shot back and tied for third.

Mack finished the 36-hole event at 15-under 129.

Winning the Lexus Cup includes a full scholarship into the Korn Ferry Tour qualifying tournament next month in Florida. Mack also gets the use of a Lexus for one year.

Mack also played in two Korn Ferry Tour events this year, making the cut in one of them.

“I’ve been able to play better with the opportunities that came along,” he said. “Knowing I can play out there (on the PGA Tour) definitely helps my confidence.”

The Tour Championship was the 11th event of the 2021 season on the Advocates Professional Golf Association. TPC Sugarloaf is the sixth TPC property that has hosted APGA Tour events this year in a partnership with the PGA Tour.

The APGA Tour was established to prepare Blacks and other minorities to compete at the highest levels of professional golf.

An overhaul of the Official World Golf Ranking that began in 2019 was announced Wednesday and will feature what officials call a modernized "field rating" calculation based on analytic techniques.

Under the new system, the field rating for each event in the ranking will be set by every player in the field, not just the top 200 players in the current ranking, and the minimum point levels and flagship events have been removed from the calculation.

“What these reviews revealed was that through the use of assigned values in its strength-of-field calculation, which includes tour minimums, flagship tournaments, and the home tour rating, there was some level of bias in the system, which means that there was some level of performances that were either being undervalued or overvalued,” said Billy Schroder, a member of the OWGR’s technical committee.

Field rating minimums will remain for the major championships (with 100 points going to the winner) and The Players Championship (80 points to the winner), but built-in minimums for other “flagship” events have been removed from the ranking.

Instead, the new system will create a field rating, which replaces the current strength of field index and is based on each player’s strokes gained world rating. The SG world rating formula uses a player’s actual scores relative to the difficulty of each round to determine a player’s performance points and their ranking.

“As much work has been done over the past few years and looking at improvements and possible ways to make the system more accurate, you want to make certain that a ranking is reflective of current or commonly accepted golf norms, some of those being that the major championships are the pinnacle of the game,” Schroder said. “A significant portion of that is that you want to keep a premium on winning so that if a player were to win a significant event or a major championship, he would see an appreciative increase in his ranking.”

Officials ran numerous models using the new rating system and estimate that the top 10 players in the ranking will likely remain the same with a turnover of two to five players in the top 50.

The ranking will continue to be based on a two-year rolling window with the new rating system beginning in August 2022.

The PGA Tour’s super-season is finally coming to an end.

This week’s Wyndham Championship marks the end of the 2020-21 regular season – and unlike last season, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Tour status for the top 125 is up for grabs.

There are some big names near or inside the bubble. And even though many of those marquee players (Adam Scott, Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, etc.) won’t lose their playing privileges because of the Tour’s various safety nets if they fail to break into the top 125, they won’t be able to compete starting next week at playoff-opening Northern Trust.

Below are the players’ current FedExCup ranking – and, at minimum, what they need to do to move inside the top 125.

BUBBLE BOYS

119. Brice Garnett

120. C.T. Pan (fully exempt for next season)

121. Adam Scott (FE)

122. Ryan Armour

123. Patrick Rodgers

124. Matt Kuchar (FE)

125. Bo Hoag

126. Scott Piercy: 34th or better

127. Nate Lashley (FE): 23rd or better

128. Michael Thompson (FE): 21st or better

129. Camilo Villegas: 21st or better

130. Rickie Fowler (FE): 21st or better

131. Roger Sloan: 19th or better

132. Chesson Hadley: 16th or better

133. Cameron Percy: 13th or better

134. Austin Cook: 12th or better

135. Chase Seiffert: 12th or better

136. Tommy Fleetwood: 11th or better

NEEDING AT LEAST A TOP-10 FINISH

138. Justin Rose (FE)

139. Vincent Whaley

140. Francesco Molinari (FE)

141. Rory Sabbatini

142. Ryan Moore

143. Mark Hubbard

144. Joseph Bramlett

NEEDING AT LEAST A TOP-5 FINISH

145. Michael Gligic

146. Bo Van Pelt

NEEDING AT LEAST A TOP-4 FINISH

147. Beau Hossler

148. Vaughn Taylor

149. Nick Taylor (FE)

NEEDING AT LEAST A TOP-3 FINISH

150. Satoshi Kodaira

151. Rafael Campos

154. Tom Lewis

156. Andrew Landry (FE)

157. Bronson Burgoon

158. Will Gordon

159. Scott Brown

NEEDING AT LEAST A TOP-2 FINISH

161. Jason Dufner (FE)

162. Rob Oppenheim

163. Kris Ventura

164. Tyler Duncan (FE)

166. Robby Shelton

167. Sean O’Hair

168. Padraig Harrington

170. Ben An

171. Jim Herman (FE)

172. Scott Harrington

173. Xinjun Zhang

174. J.J. Spaun

176. Ben Martin

177. Mito Pereira (FE)

178. Mark Anderson

179. Kevin Tway (FE)

181. Ted Potter Jr.

183. Luke Donald

184. Ryan Brehm

NEEDING A WIN

187. Fabian Gomez

188. Sung Kang (FE)

189. D.J. Trahan

191. Rhein Gibson

192. Nelson Ledesma

193. Josh Teater

195. Ben Taylor

196. Bill Haas

197. Sebastian Cappelen

198. Chris Baker

200. Aaron Baddeley

201. Michael Gellerman

202. Nick Watney

204. Kiradech Aphibarnrat

205. David Lingmerth

214. Michael Kim

220. John Senden

221. Martin Trainer (FE)

222. Jonas Blixt

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has called LaLiga's agreement to sell 10% of its business to investment fund CVC Capital Partners for €2.7 billion as "completely illegal" and "appalling."

Ahead of Thursday's general assembly in which the two thirds of the 42 clubs that form LaLiga must ratify the approved sale, the Spanish FA has voiced their disapproval.

- La Liga on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)
- ESPN+ viewers' guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more (U.S.)

"The RFEF, being aware of the various complaints and comments made by various first and second Division clubs, has communicated its firm opposition to this agreement, through a burofax (a document that requires proof to third parties) sent to the LNFP (Spanish league)," the RFEF statement said.

Tebas replied sarcastically to the Spanish FA's statement and wrote: "Finally the RFEF has released the long-awaited statement regarding the Super League backing UEFA and the leagues. Oh no! Regarding the (Super League) project that erased Spanish football THEY DO NOT SPEAK OUT. Of course, to attack LaLiga they don't fail. Instructions must be followed ... they haven't even studied the documents!"

The Spanish FA disagreeing with LaLiga is nothing new. Since the election of Luis Rubiales as RFEF chief on May 2018, many decisions in Spanish football has been accompanied with a dispute, some of which have had to be resolved in court.

The RFEF statement comes less than 24 hours after Real Madrid announced plans to take legal action against LaLiga president Javier Tebas and CVC Capital Partners over the deal.

Moreover, Madrid warned it will take every action possible to prevent the agreement, which was unanimously approved by the league's executive committee last week, from going through.

Barcelona said in a statement they consider the deal "inappropriate."

The coronavirus pandemic has created a sense of urgency to bring more money into LaLiga. For their initial investment, CVC will pocket 11% of the money raised by LaLiga through the sale of television rights and sponsorship for the next 40 years.

The Spanish FA said LaLiga's agreement "is appalling and regrettable for the future of all Spanish football and, on the other hand, fantastic for a fund and other possible beneficiaries."

"When analysing the operation with a fifty-year perspective, which is the one provided by the LNFP and CVC, as well as its contents, we must conclude that it exceeds what could be understood as the powers of the league regarding the commercialisation of audiovisual rights and may irreversibly affect the future of the competition," the RFEF added.

ESPN reported last week that Madrid feel the sale "endangers" their business opportunities by allowing CVC to take money, for example, television rights without the club agreeing to the deal.

Barca consider that the (€2.7bn) amount "is not congruent with the years of duration and that part of the audio-visual rights of all the clubs are affected for the next 50 years."

The money raised from the sale will be distributed among the clubs in the form of a loan, repayable over a significant number of years. The payments will be based on the contributions the clubs have had since the centralisation of audiovisual rights in 2015, with Madrid allocated around €261 million and Barca €270m.

The clubs must spend at least 70% of the money on investments related to long-term growth, 15% on refinancing their debt, and 15% can be used to increase their league-imposed spending limits.

Villarreal are among the top-flight clubs that will vote in favour of the deal going through.

"We have to place La Liga in the best possible place," Villarreal president Fernando Roig said. "I don't understand Real Madrid and Barcelona's reasons to oppose the CVC agreement. We must strengthen the structures and enhance the image of our league. It is very good for football if we know how to use these resources to improve LaLiga, after the problems we have faced due to the pandemic."

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has denied claims he had "any influence" on Lionel Messi's exit from Barcelona.

Messi was unveiled at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday after joining the club as a free agent.

Jaume Llopis, a member of Joan Laporta's board at Barcelona who resigned following Messi's departure, claimed that both Perez and Barcelona CEO Ferran Reverter convinced Laporta to let Messi go and not accept LaLiga selling 10% of €2.7 billion of its business to investment fund CVC Capital Partners.

- ESPN+ viewers' guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more
- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)

The investment from the fund would increase Barca's league-imposed spending limit and would have allowed the club to register their summer signings as well as complete the new contract it had agreed with Messi last month.

Perez, whose club is against the LaLiga agreement with CVC, has demanded a rectification from Llopis and said in a statement on Wednesday: "It is impossible that I have had any influence neither on the departure of Messi nor on any other decision of F.C. Barcelona.

"It is completely false that I have been friends for a long time with FC Barcelona CEO Ferran Reverter, since I have only met him twice in my life, four months ago and on Saturday in the meeting that took place in Barcelona with president Joan Laporta and [Juventus] president Andrea Agnelli, when the official communication on Messi had already taken place."

Agnelli, Perez and Laporta, whose clubs are the remaining founding members of the Super League, met in Barcelona on Saturday with Barca having already announced Messi's 21-year association with the club would not continue due to financial restraints.

A day later, a tearful Messi said in his farewell speech at the Camp Nou: "I don't know about Barcelona, but I did everything possible to remain."

Llopis said that what most annoyed him was seeing Laporta "eating and toasting at the Botafumeiro [a restaurant in Barcelona] with Agnelli and Florentino when all of us were in shock with what happened... Messi's departure is a manoeuvre that benefits Florentino. Imagine that now [PSG's Kylian] Mbappe ends up at Real Madrid."

Mbappe, whose contract with PSG expires next summer, has been a long-term target of Madrid.

Messi's arrival to Paris led to increased speculation that the French forward would arrive to the Santiago Bernabeu stadium this summer.

However, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said during Messi's unveiling on Wednesday: "I think we have the most competitive team. Now there is no choice for Kylian but to stay here in Paris."

Lionel Messi was given a hero's welcome at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday as he was officially unveiled following his whirlwind free transfer to the French club.

Out of contract for the first time in 20 years, Messi brought his long and storied association with Barcelona to an emotional close last week after financial constraints prevented a new deal being completed.

- ESPN+ viewers' guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more (U.S.)
- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
- Don't have ESPN? Get instant access

Mere days after his tearful farewell to Barca, the 34-year-old gave his first news conference as a PSG player at the Parc des Princes. Club president Nasser al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo looked delighted as they posed for pictures with what surely will become soccer's most iconic No. 30 jersey ever.

With former Barca strike partner Neymar already occupying the No. 10 shirt at PSG, Messi will take over the No. 30 jersey last worn by reserve goalkeeper Alexandre Letellier during the 2020-21 season. Before him, the shirt has belonged to the likes of Salvatore Sirigu, Kevin Trapp and Timothy Weah.

Then, it was down to business, as Messi told the media that he believes signing for PSG represents his best chance of winning the Champions League for the fifth time.

Even as the six-time Ballon d'Or winner was inside the stadium, PSG supporters were making themselves heard outside.

??LES ULTRAS PARISIENS SONT ARRIVÉS ??#PSG #TeamPSG #MessiPSG @Co_Ultras_Paris pic.twitter.com/U98bDSKNNo

— Canal Supporters (@CanalSupporters) August 11, 2021

The crowd was so large that some fans had to look for higher ground to get a better view ...

... while others made do with giant images of their new idol as they waited to catch a glimpse of the real thing.

There was just as much excitement inside the news conference, so much so that even some journalists in attendance were chanting Messi's name.

Even journalists are chanting Messi's name ?? pic.twitter.com/lGRUqkyX18

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 11, 2021

Messi then went out on to the pitch, posing for an ensemble photo with a group of local schoolchildren.

All the while, the atmosphere was building outside, and when the PSG ultras were finally presented with their new star signing, they gave him an extraordinary welcome...

Incredible scenes as Messi is presented to the PSG fans for the first time ??

(via @PSG_English) pic.twitter.com/LkeTyZ190S

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 11, 2021

One fan got a memento of the day to treasure as Messi threw out a PSG jersey in the writhing sea of flags and flares.

Just in case there was anyone out there who still couldn't believe their eyes, there were two signs that proved beyond doubt that Lionel Messi is indeed a Paris Saint-Germain player:

1. His three children -- Thiago, Matteo and Ciro -- were all sporting their own PSG jerseys.

Seeing Messi's sons in PSG shirts makes it all real ? pic.twitter.com/IZIMi8a9DJ

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 11, 2021

2. Even his waxwork at Madame Tussauds in Berlin has donned the kit of his new club.

Lionel Messi's wax figure at Madame Tussauds has been updated ? pic.twitter.com/xn1JaZNso4

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) August 11, 2021

As for when the Parisian faithful will get to see Messi playing in their club's colours remains to be seen. Messi has been unable to train with other players since the Copa America earlier this summer, due to his status as a free agent.

PSG host Strasbourg in a Ligue 1 fixture on Saturday, but PSG fans and the football world at large may have to wait a little longer before they get to see Messi line up alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in a fearsome front three.

Until then, well: we'll always have these scenes on the streets of Paris.

Lionel Messi spoke at his first news conference as a Paris Saint-Germain player on Wednesday and said after a "very tough" end to his Barcelona career, his target is to win the Champions League again.

PSG announced Messi's arrival on Tuesday with the former Barcelona player signing a two-year contract, with the option of a further year. Sources told ESPN's Julien Laurens that Messi is expected to earn between €30-35 million ($35-41m) net a year.

- Messi's tearful farewell on Barcelona's day like no other
- The definitive timeline of Messi's Barcelona career
- Merci, Messi! 'A new diamond in Paris'

Messi was presented at the news conference at PSG's Parc des Princes and his name was chanted amid a round of applause as he took his seat alongside club president Nasser al-Khelaifi.

He spoke about his desire to win the Champions League for a fifth time, the end to his career at Camp Nou, and his excitement at playing alongside teammates Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

"My exit from Barca was very tough, after so many years, but as soon as I arrived here I was so happy, so motivated, so excited. It has happened so fast, but I am enjoying it so much," Messi said.

"My goal and my dream is to win the Champions League once more. I think that we have the team to do it here.

"The squad and coaches here are capable of winning everything, which is my objective. The team here is incredible. There have been some amazing signings. This will be an unbelievable experience for me. I do not know when I will first be able to play and I might need some preseason conditioning first. I really want to begin the training sessions, I really want it to be quick."

On his teammates Neymar and Mbappe -- the top two most expensive players in history at €222m and €180m respectively -- Messi said: "I am very happy. It's crazy. I'm going to play with the best players in the world, and that's always good."

Wednesday's news conference was moved from its original slot of Tuesday as the club needed more time to cope with logistics, given the worldwide media interest in the transfer of the six-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Messi spoke at his Barcelona farewell news conference on Sunday and said PSG were an option and, speaking Wednesday, thanked the new club for how quickly negotiations were concluded. The Argentina international, who won the Copa America with his country this summer, also spoke about the possibility of facing his former club in the Champions League this season.

"I am very grateful that such complicated negotiations were made so easy," he said. "I left Barcelona without knowing where I was going. This week has been hard, quick and emotional. But I am excited about this new stage for my career and my family.

"[PSG] had positioned themselves from the first day, even though it wasn't easy in these conditions. I want to thank the club for the work it's done and the welcome I've had.

"The Barca fans knew I'd join a good club, fighting for the Champions League, because they know me, I like to win, I'm a winner and I want to carry on doing that.

"I don't doubt that PSG's objectives are to win and grow. It would be nice on the one hand to face them in the Champions League, especially with fans, but on the other strange to go back to my home in another team's shirt -- but that's football."

Messi moved to Paris after Barcelona failed to register his five-year contract at Camp Nou due to financial complications surrounding LaLiga's rules on salaries. Messi's proposed deal meant Barcelona's wage bill stood at 110% of their revenue, way above the 70% limit. Their spending cap with LaLiga has dropped from over €600 million in 2019-20 to an expected €200m for the coming season, which made it impossible to register Messi's new deal, even with a pay cut. His previous terms included a base salary of around €70m gross without bonuses.

"I am speaking from the bottom of my heart. Thank you to everybody for making this happen. Bringing the best player in the world here. The hard work starts now," Al-Khelaifi said.

"This is an amazing and historic day for the club and football world. Leo makes football magic, beautiful ... he's a winner. It's no secret there was a great desire [between PSG and Messi] to make this happen.

"We have someone here next to me, he won lots of trophies and I am sure he will bring lots of trophies to the club, with his squad, with his teammates, the best players in the world, and amazing coach, for me he is the best in the world."

Al-Khelaifi was also asked about Mbappe's future and the financial fair play ramifications of Messi's move to PSG. Mbappe's contract at PSG is due to expire in 2022.

"I was waiting for that question," Al-Khelaifi said. "We have always respected financial fair play. We checked with our financial people and knew that we could sign him. What the media need to focus on is not just the negative but also the positives that he will bring.

"I think we have the most competitive team. Now there is no choice for Kylian but to stay here in Paris."

Al-Khelaifi said people would be "shocked" by the financial revenues Messi would bring the club, though he quipped: "I hope Leo will not ask for more salary."

Messi scored a record 672 goals in 778 appearances for Barca, winning 10 LaLiga titles, the Copa del Rey seven times, the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup three times apiece and the Champions League on four occasions.

In July, he also won his first major international honour when he helped Argentina win the Copa America.