Story highlights
- Leo Messi has signed a new contract with La Liga giant Barcelona
- Messi has extended his stay at Camp Nou until 2018
- Four-time World Player of the Year will earn net salary of $14.75 million per year
- Follows Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez in pledging future to the club
If you've got a spare $335 million then Leo Messi could be all yours -- but the Argentine has no intention of leaving Barcelona after pledging his future to the club until 2018.
The 25-year-old has signed a new long-term deal with his buy-out clause remaining at $335 million, while he will earn a net salary of $14.75 million per year.
This is the sixth time in eight seasons that Messi has negotiated a new contract with Barcelona desperate to hold onto its star player.
Four-time World Player of the Year Messi broke all records on the way to scoring an unparalleled 91 goals in 2012 for club and country, surpassing the previous record of 85 set by Germany's Gerd Muller in 1972.
The move comes after teammates Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez both signed new deals with the club.
Lionel Messi breaks goal scoring record 01:51
Photos: Lionel Messi's record year
Photos: Lionel Messi's record year
Messi beats Muller – Lionel Messi celebrates after matching Gerd Muller's record of 85 goals in a calendar year, netting in the 16th minute of Barcelona's match against Real Betis in December 2012. Just nine minutes later the Argentina star passed the German's 1972 milestone.
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Photos: Lionel Messi's record year
Time to spare – Messi passed Muller with three more possible matches to play in 2012. Then a three-time world player of the year, he went on to win a record fourth Ballon d'Or in January,
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Photos: Lionel Messi's record year
On the brink of history – The 25-year-old crept within one goal of Muller's record with two goals against Athletic Bilbao in a 5-1 victory in December. Click here to see a map of Messi's first 84 goals of 2012.
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Photos: Lionel Messi's record year
Record in doubt – Messi made a quick recovery to be fit for the Betis game, having been injured after coming on as a substitute during a Champions League match against Benfica.
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Photos: Lionel Messi's record year
Barca's best – Messi enjoyed a stellar 2012. With a hat-trick against Grenada in March, he equaled and broke the all-time goalscoring record for Barcelona in official matches of 232 set by Cesar Rodriguez.
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Photos: Lionel Messi's record year
Chasing Muller – A hat-trick against Malaga in May took Messi to 68 goals for the 2011-12 season, edging him past the record for goals in a European season set by Bayern Munich's Muller in 1972-73.
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Photos: Lionel Messi's record year
Magnificent Muller – Muller was one of the most predatory strikers in football history, winning both the World Cup and the Europan Championship with West Germany. Click here to see a comparison of Muller and Messi.
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Photos: Lionel Messi's record year
For club and country – Messi also had a standout year for the Argentina national team. He scored 12 goals for his country in 2012, including a hat-trick against archrivals Brazil in June.
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Photos: Lionel Messi's record year
El Clasico – Messi became Barca's all-time leading goalscorer in "El Clasico" matches against Real Madrid in August 2012. His free-kick in that match was his 15th in the fixture against Barca's archrivals.
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Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestone
Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestone
Messi magic – Lionel Messi, center, celebrates with Barcelona teammates Cesc Fabregas, left, and Xavi Hernandez after matching Pele's 75 goals in a calendar year.
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Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestone
Second best – The Argentina star then moved past the Brazil legend with his second goal of the match against Mallorca, which left Messi nine short of the best tally for a year held by Germany's Gerd Muller.
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Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestone
Proud dad – The 25-year-old has had a new celebration since the birth of his first child, son Thiago, earlier this month.
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Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestone
Award winner – Messi is in line to win a fourth successive world player of the year award in January. Pele presented him with the Ballon d'Or at the start of this year.
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Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestone
Golden boot – Pele scored 75 goals in 1958, when he launched onto the football scene as a 17-year-old and helped Brazil win that year's World Cup.
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Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestone
Goal machine Gerd – That feat was surpassed in 1972 by Muller, who scored 85 goals as West Germany won the European Championship and his club Bayern Munich lifted the Bundesliga title.
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A statement on the Barcelona website said: "This afternoon Leo Messi extended his contract with FC Barcelona through June 30 of 2018.
"The signing ceremony was attended by the player, president Sandro Rosell, vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu and the director of football Andoni Zubizarreta.
"Messi added two additional years to his existing contract, which was set to expire in June of 2016.
"The player, who joined the club when he was 13 years old and made his first-team debut three years later, will be 31 when his contract expires."
Messi agreed the contract at the end of last year but has only just signed it.
The Argentina star has scored eight times in Barcelona's first five La Liga matches of 2013, including four against Osasuna in a 5-1 win on January 27.
Since making his Barcelona debut in 2003, he has collected three European Champions League crowns, two FIFA Club World Cup titles, five Spanish league championships and two Copa del Rey medals.
Along the way, he has scored more goals for the club in both the Spanish league and European competition than any other player in Barcelona's illustrious 113-year history.
