This weekend, Lionel Messi will face Paris Saint-Germain - the team he played for two years - at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. Not only will it be the first time Messi has faced an old club in his career, but it will also be a reunion with faded memories, where he experienced the saddest period of his football career.
The two should not belong together.
At PSG, Messi did not leave a legacy worthy of his name. With just 32 goals in 75 games - the lowest scoring rate of his career - his time in Paris was a low point. But what bothered Messi was not the statistics, but the feeling of being lost that lasted for two seasons.
“Those were two years when I was unhappy, not enjoying any day,” Messi once confided. He could not adapt to life in Paris, could not find joy in every training session, every match - something very rare for a player who always plays football with passion like him.
It started off seemingly peacefully. Messi was greeted warmly by the Paris fans, as if he were the symbol of the victory they had always dreamed of. But things quickly changed.
A section of the audience turned their backs and whistled every time his name was called. Messi realized that he could not avoid the cruel cycle in Paris - where even Neymar and Mbappe were victims.
Messi had unhappy years at PSG. |
The estrangement came to a head in May 2023, when PSG lost to Lorient and Messi was punished by the club for travelling to Saudi Arabia on a pre-arranged promotional tour. He was fined and banned from training – despite the fact that the change in training schedule had taken place while he was on a plane. It was not simply a disciplinary dispute, but a clear sign of a relationship that had broken down at its core.
Qatar - through sporting director Luis Campos - want to extend Messi's contract for two years, regardless of the conditions. But Messi, with typical caution, wants to know the project for next season before signing.
That reticence was immediately interpreted as resistance. And then the punishment came, as a way to assert the club's power. For Messi - who had never missed a training session in his career - it was a painful blow, both mentally and honorably.
Messi apologized in a short video on social media, but clearly, this is a sad end to a journey that did not go as expected. PSG, with stars like Neymar, Sergio Ramos and Mbappe, was once considered the perfect piece for a Messi entering the final chapter of his career. But all that remains is discord, boos and unanswered questions.
While PSG were disappointed with Leo, Argentina witnessed a Messi shining brighter than ever. He won the Copa America 2021, Finalissima 2022 and the 2022 World Cup - all while he was playing in Paris. Ironically, the place where he was not loved was the backdrop for the most glorious moments of his football career.
Messi is different now
Now, Messi lives happily in Miami. He is welcomed like a king, finds joy in playing football again and peace in his family life.
Messi is happy at PSG. |
Meanwhile, PSG - with the achievement of winning the Champions League with coach Luis Enrique - did not forget to pay tribute to him. President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi included Messi's name in the list of "people who contributed to bringing PSG to this day", along with icons such as Thiago Silva, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani.
Time may have finally softened the edges of disappointment. PSG just sent Messi a birthday message: “Happy Birthday Leo! See you Sunday.” A short message, but one that says a lot.
This reunion is not just a match in the round of 16. It is a flashback, a link between the past and the present - where Messi and PSG, each side has entered a new chapter, but still cannot erase the old taste. And who knows, this reunion will help both of them look back, to understand more clearly the past journey - an imperfect journey, but very human.
Source: https://znews.vn/voi-messi-psg-chua-bao-gio-la-nha-post1564482.html
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