BARCELONA (REUTERS, AFP) - Football has been turned on its head in recent days with Barcelona's bombshell announcement that their superstar forward Lionel Messi is set to leave the Nou Camp.

The Argentinian, who joined Barca's youth set-up aged 13, spent his entire professional career at the club and is their all-time top scorer and appearance maker with 672 goals in 778 games in all competitions. His contract expired at the end of June.