At the end of June, Messi's contract with Barcelona came to an end, but to this day, the renewal of the contract between the two sides is still pending. Former Barcelona star Ronaldinho publicly voiced his desire for Messi to remain at Camp Nou, and there is even news that Barcelona may retire the No. 10 jersey in the future to honor him.
Messi, 34, is now a free agent, and despite rumors that he intends to renew his contract, fans are still hanging on by a thread. Meanwhile, Ronaldinho is also anxiously awaiting news of Messi's contract extension with Barcelona.
Ronaldinho said bluntly, "Messi must stay, he is a Barcelona legend. When he retires - and I hope that's a long time from now - his No. 10 jersey should also be sealed and no one will be able to wear it in matches again." In addition, Junior was happy that Messi won the Copa America, but he was also doubly disappointed by Brazil's final loss.
Ronaldinho, who played for Barcelona between 2003 and 2008, wore the No. 10 jersey and helped the team win one Champions League and two La Liga titles, as well as two World Footballers of the Year and one Ballon d'Or. After Ronaldinho's departure, Barcelona passed on the No. 10 shirt to Lionel Messi. Today, Messi is the greatest No. 10 in Barcelona's history.
Messi and Barcelona both sides have the will to extend the contract, but the Barcelona club must first solve the financial difficulties before signing a new contract with Messi. At present, the total salary of the Barcelona team has exceeded the standard set by the La Liga, the club hopes that some players accept the pay cut program.
