In a historic turn of events, Lionel Messi clinched the coveted World Cup trophy with Argentina in Qatar 2022, confirming his place as one of, if not, the greatest footballer of all time.
When ‘La Pulga’ secured this monumental victory, he was still a key player for Paris Saint-Germain. Surprisingly, the French club opted not to honor Messi with a tribute, sparking discussions about the reasons behind this decision.
Much speculation surrounds the circumstances, including Argentina’s triumph over France in the final and concerns about teammate Kylian Mbappe’s potential reaction. However, the reality is that Messi himself expressed disappointment over the absence of a tribute from the PSG board.
This unexpected turn of events has fueled further talks about Messi’s potential departure to Inter Miami and his strained relationship with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
Analyzing the Fallout – Al-Khelaifi’s Statements and Messi’s Discontent
In the aftermath of Lionel Messi’s departure from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the club’s president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, has come forward with grievances over the football icon’s statements. In an interview with former player Jerome Rothen on his podcast, Al-Khelaifi expressed his displeasure with Messi’s comments made post his PSG stint.
The Qatari president shed light on PSG’s decision not to honor Messi after his triumphant World Cup victory. According to Messi, in an interview with Argentine journalist Miguel Granados, he conveyed his dissatisfaction with his time at PSG, stating that he ‘did not feel good’ and that the experience ‘was not as expected.’
“He’s not a bad guy but I don’t like it,” Al-Khelaifi told RMC Sport. “I’ll say, not just for him but for everyone, we talk when we’re there, not when we’re gone. That’s not our style… I have great respect for him [Messi] but if someone wants to speak badly about Paris Saint-Germain afterwards, that’s not good. That’s not respect.”
“If anyone talks about the fact that we didn’t celebrate him enough after he won the World Cup, we’re in France and he won against [France and PSG star] Kylian Mbappé,” Al-Khelaifi said.
“We are a French club. I don’t want the whole stadium to be against him either.”
Al-Khelaifi acknowledged that Messi faced challenges adjusting to life in Paris following his departure from Barcelona in the summer of 2021.
“One thing I’ll mention about Messi, the world’s best player and the best player in history,” Al-Khelaifi stated. “It wasn’t a smooth transition for him to come here. Back in Barcelona, everything revolved around Messi: the players, the coaches, and the management. Here, it’s a different scenario; we have other exceptional players like Kylian and Neymar as well.“
Furthermore, Messi highlighted a glaring disparity – of the 26 players who secured the World Cup with Argentina, he was the lone individual who did not receive a tribute from his club, a revelation that left him profoundly discontent with PSG.
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Gabriel Moscardo’s PSG Transfer in Limbo: Al-Khelaifi Provides Insight into the Stand-by Situation
In the latest development, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has disclosed that Gabriel Moscardo’s transfer to the club is currently on stand-by. Earlier reports in December suggested that PSG had reached a €20 million ($21.9 million) agreement with Corinthians to secure the services of the 18-year-old midfielder.
However, the situation has taken a turn due to Moscardo’s recent announcement about undergoing surgery on his left foot, sidelining him for three months. Al-Khelaifi, acknowledging Moscardo’s talent, stated, “He’s a fantastic player. We really believe in him and his potential. He is injured and needs an operation, so we have to take care of that too. We are in a slightly uncomfortable situation with him because we cannot run the risk of taking an injured player. We have to wait. This is the situation currently.”
