Fitzgerald Cecilio

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona secured the service of perhaps the best football player of the present era for at least five more years after striker Lionel Messi agreed to a two-year deal with the Catalan football club.

Messi, a product of the Barcelona's youth academy and went on to win four Ballon d'Or title as the main cog for Barca, joined Xavi and Charles Puyol by extending his tenure with his current team up to 2018.

The 25-year-old Messi recently captured his fourth straight FIFA Player of the Year award after scoring 91 goals in 2012 calendar. He has so far racked up 45 goals in 34 appearances this season.

The Argentine expressed his delight on signing a landmark deal with Barca, who's still lording on top of the Spanish La Liga despite dealing with the toughest stretch they had this season.

'I'm very happy at Barcelona - I've always said that. It's a fantastic day,' he said on the bal club's site.

 

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