When Lionel Messi, now 38, made his move from Paris Saint-Germain to Inter Miami on a free transfer in 2023, few observers would have predicted a potential encounter between the celebrated Argentine forward and the reigning French champions anytime soon.
However, the structure of the FIFA Club World Cup has created precisely this possibility. PSG is slated to face Inter Miami in Atlanta on Sunday afternoon, with a quarter-final berth in the inaugural edition of the expanded tournament at stake. All signs indicate this will not be a cordial reunion for Messi with his former club.
The ex-Barcelona star`s departure from the Parisian club was reportedly fraught with tension. Subjected to boos from sections of the fanbase and facing disciplinary action from the club hierarchy, by the time their two-year association concluded, both Messi and PSG seemed content to part ways. Since his departure, however, it is primarily Messi who has publicly aired disparaging remarks about his time there.
Messi`s arrival in Paris was, understandably, met with immense fanfare and expectation. Nevertheless, his transfer to PSG was not a move he initially sought or desired; he had no intention of leaving his beloved club, Barcelona. The Catalan club`s severe financial difficulties ultimately left him with no alternative.
His performance statistics for Les Parisiens were certainly respectable. Across 75 appearances, he contributed 32 goals and 35 assists. Yet, during his two seasons, he was unable to elevate the team to the next level on the European stage, as PSG continued to struggle, and perhaps even declined, in the Champions League.
Messi Seen as a Casualty of PSG`s Wider Issues
Towards the conclusion of his second and final campaign, following a premature exit from the UEFA Champions League (a 3-0 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich in the Round of 16), Messi became a focal point for criticism. He wasn`t alone in this; several other high-profile players from the `Galáctico` era, notably Neymar, also endured jeers from the Parc des Princes crowd. While the fans` dissatisfaction was directed at the players, it was arguably more a reflection of their frustration with the club`s hierarchy and transfer policy. The Paris faithful found it difficult to connect with the team, and Messi, perhaps more than others, bore the brunt of this growing disconnect.
Despite this rupture, a contract extension was reportedly still under discussion in the final weeks of the season. However, an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia, which caused him to miss first-team training, effectively ended any prospects of a new deal for Messi.
Sanctioned by PSG, a contrite Messi appeared before cameras two days later to issue an apology. Although his two-week suspension from playing was shortened by a week, the financial penalty (a deduction of two weeks` wages) remained in place. The World Cup winner had seemingly reached an irreversible point in his relationship with the club. What began with great promise ultimately failed to deliver for either party, and Messi quietly departed the scene.
Since then, he has not hesitated to criticize his former club whenever given the opportunity to discuss his two-year tenure in Paris. “These were two years where I wasn`t happy. I missed a lot of things,” he has stated, notably expressing disappointment about not being as involved in his children`s daily lives as he was in Barcelona.
“As I said at the time, I didn`t want to leave to go to Paris. I had to quickly adapt to a new place after so many years at PSG,” he recalled.
Al-Khelaifi Offers `Thanks`
Messi also conveyed his disappointment that his 2022 World Cup victory with Argentina was not formally celebrated by PSG. “I was the only player out of the 25 (World Cup winners) that wasn`t recognized. It was understandable. I was in a place that, because of us, wasn`t world champions once again,” Messi acknowledged, understanding the context given that Argentina had defeated France in the final, making a grand celebration in the French capital unlikely.
Life in Paris itself was also a struggle for him personally. “They (the neighbours) rang at our door at 9 or 10 in the evening to tell me that my kids shouldn`t play football. The neighbours bothered us. Unfortunately, it didn`t go as we wanted it to. That affected my mindset a lot, and it had repercussions on the pitch. In Paris, on a personal level, I didn`t feel good,” he recounted.
He continued, “These two years were not nice for me. I wasn`t happy on a daily basis, with training, or in matches. It really took me time to adapt to all of that.”
Messi has consistently used media opportunities to articulate his discontent during his time with Les Parisiens, a tendency that has reportedly surprised even his inner circle. PSG, in contrast, has seldom publicly referenced the Argentine star.
However, club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi did recently express gratitude towards him. “I thank Kylian Mbappé and Messi, Neymar, Zlatan (Ibrahimovic). They have all been very important for the club,” he remarked during a recent interview.
Messi will indeed take a journey down memory lane when he faces PSG in Atlanta, but it`s a path unlikely to be lined with pleasant recollections.
