Why did Lionel Messi leave Barcelona in 2021? To put things forth in the simplest terms, Barcelona simply couldn’t afford to keep Messi in the team any longer as their wage budget wasn’t enough to accommodate the Argentine superstar.

Why is Messi leaving Barcelona? Because, as Barcelona made clear in its statement on Thursday, "financial and structural obstacles" have prevented Messi from renewing his deal with the club he's represented all his life.

In the summer of 2020, with one year left on his four-year, $675-million Barcelona contract, Messi went public about his desire to leave, citing a falling out with club management and a clause in his contract that he believed allowed him to depart.