Lionel Messi Earns Barcelona's Trust, Unlikely To Sign With Other Clubs

Barcelona F.C. is relying on global soccer star Lionel Messi’s loyalty each season, according to their contract.

Messi has been regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. His legacy is widely recognized and his work ethic has been superb all throughout his career. This is also the reason why Barcelona is confident that Messi will stay with them for several years more.

According to AS, Messi's Barcelona contract runs until 2021. However, there is a clause that allows him to opt out at the end of every year if he wants to.

A Barcelona source told El Pais that both Messi and “Barca” have agreed that the soccer icon can “stop” whenever he likes. "We accept that he can stop whenever he likes, at the end of every season, and that's what both parties have agreed," the Barca source revealed.

The source also added that they are very confident Messi isn’t going anywhere because clubs would really have a hard time closing a deal with him given his worth and age. “With the amount he's on, it's very difficult for him to go to another club. With his age, it's a very difficult signing to get," the source added.

Meanwhile, Messi's teammate, Gerard Pique, is also aware of the special clause. But just like the club, Pique is not worried about the “little magician” leaving either. "I already knew Messi is able to leave for free at the end of each season," Pique told Spanish publication Cadena Ser (via Independent).

Pique even noted that all in soccer have witnessed Messi’s commitment to Barcelona, and it makes him worthy of the right to do whatever he likes in the future.

"We all know the commitment Leo has to Barca and it doesn’t worry me at all. He’s earned the right to be able to choose what he does with his future after everything he’s given the club," Pique pointed out.

It appears that Messi isn’t the first Barcelona player to be given a deal with this kind of clause. In the past, soccer legends Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol and Xavi all had a similar agreement. And to everybody’s surprise, Barca's decision to trust their loyalty never backfired.

Over a week ago, Twitter Sports controversially responded with a GIF of Messi wagging his finger and saying "no" after Goal tweeted: “Messi and Ronaldo can both be the GOAT.”

The response indeed generated another Ronaldo-Messi debate, but needless to say, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will go down in soccer history as both “GOAT.”