Not exactly happy memories of his stay in the French capital from one of the greatest football players of all time. To lead the French powerhouses to European glory, Lionel Messi (37) departed Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain.
Though he was unable to lead PSG to a UEFA Champions League championship, the 2022 World Cup winner could only manage two seasons there, during which he won two Ligue 1 titles and the Trophée des Champions.
Currently playing in Major League Soccer (MLS) with Inter Miami CF, the Argentine captain won the Supporters’ Shield for having the best regular season record.
In an interview with the Belgian news organization RTBF, 33-year-old Brecht Dejaegere discussed a recent exchange he had with Messi after Miami’s game against his old team, Charlotte FC.
Dejaegere questioned Messi about his experience in Paris after the game.
Messi and Dejargere had previously squared off when Messi was at PSG and the Belgian was playing club football for Toulouse FC.
Dejaegere, who currently plays for Kortrijk in the Belgian Pro League, claims that Messi became tired of the hate he faced during his two seasons at Les Parisiens, when he was continuously jeered and yelled.
Even with Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Neymar and current Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappé among their many other great attacking players, PSG was unable to go past the round of sixteen in the Champions League during their two seasons with Messi.
Even though Messi was a brilliant player with some magical moments on the field, several fans and commentators felt he hadn’t properly adapted to the new atmosphere. There were extremely high hopes for his signing, and fans were disappointed if he didn’t live up to their expectations.
Messi’s arrival at first electrified the team and the supporters. His ability to influence games, vision, and distinctive playing style made him a priceless asset. PSG had one of the most potent offensive trios in football history with Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, and other superstars. The team had not won a title in the UEFA Champions League despite large spending, but the trio inspired excitement and anticipation for a deep run at the competition.
Messi declared that the decision to move to Paris was made quickly after joining Inter Miami, despite his admission that he did not want to leave the Catalonian team.
“It was challenging in Paris, but this is completely different from how I’m feeling right now,” Messi remarked.
Messi guided Les Parisiens to two successful seasons even though he was unable to fulfill the team’s greatest dream of winning the Champions League. Before joining MLS on a free transfer in July 2023, he finished his career with PSG with 21 goals and 20 assists.
Messi was the top scorer in the competition six times before joining PSG. He had four Champions League championships at Barça.
