Lionel Messi and PSG: The story of the Argentine and his rebound fling in the French capital

The FIFA Club World Cup last sixteen continues on Sunday when Lionel Messi takes on his former side, Paris Saint-Germain, as Inter Miami meet the French side in Charlotte.

It's the first time the footballing icon will face a former team, but when you look back at his illustrious career, his stint in Paris is still an intriguing tale, and one this writer looked back on for a biography on the MLS star last year.

If Barcelona was Messi’s great love affair, then his spell at Paris Saint-Germain was like a rebound fling, and it’s questionable if anyone really enjoyed the Argentine’s romp in the French capital.

There were trophies, yes, but it wasn’t the Messi we saw in Spain and in the end, the dream project for club and player never quite delivered its ultimate goal. 

PSG become a powerhouse 

To understand how Messi ended up at the Parc des Princes, it’s worth looking at PSG and their rise to becoming a major player in European football.

Formed in 1970, PSG had been a mainstay in the French first division since the early 70s, winning their first league title in 1982 before enjoying a golden period in the 1990s which saw a second league title, three French Cups, two French League Cups, two French Super Cups and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1996.

They have been no stranger to superstars either, having seen names such as George Weah, Jay-Jay Okocha, Rai and Ronaldinho all don the blue and red shirt. But they would often come to establish themselves at the start of their careers or as a final resting home before retirement.

The early 2000s saw a huge decline for the French club, amid financial battles with majority owner Canal+ and although they won a plethora of cups, there were no further league title wins and by the end of the decade, they were fighting relegation at the wrong end of the table. 

That all changed when Qatar Sports Investment purchased the club in 2011, instantly making PSG one of the wealthiest clubs in the world.

What followed was their first league title in twenty years and they would go on to win the championship eight times in the next ten seasons. They were also now able to attract some of Europe’s best players and it saw heavyweights such as Edison Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kylian Mbappe arrive at the club, as well as making Neymar the world’s most expensive footballer with his £200 million move in 2017.

Yet, despite the domestic dominance and superstar arrivals, one trophy continued to elude PSG as they tried in vain to win a Champions League, the prize that would cement their place at Europe’s top table. Then came the chance to sign the world’s best player with the hope he would be the final piece in the puzzle. 

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Messi's move to Paris 

In truth, after his dramatic and emotional exit from Barcelona, Messi had very few options for his next move.

Given his desire to continue to play in Europe ahead of the 2022 World Cup and the financial package he came with, only the clubs with the deepest pockets would be able to lure the Argentinian skipper.

There were some rumblings of a reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and the prospect of playing in the Premier League, but it was PSG who were able to secure his services and add him to a dream attack that already boasted Mbappe and Neymar.

He signed on 1 August and made his hotly anticipated debut later that month as Paris celebrated the exciting arrival of one of the greatest ever players to the club. What wasn’t taken into consideration was the transition for Messi.

Such is the admiration for Messi the superhuman, superhero footballer, Messi the man often becomes an afterthought. And it’s the man who, for the first time in his career, had to adjust to a new league, a new city, new teammates and expectations as well as a new life for him and his close family.

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Add in the raw pain from his Barcelona departure, and his first season in Paris, for many, failed to live up to the extraordinary heights that fans had become accustomed to judging Lionel Messi by. After scoring his first goal – ironically against Man City in the Champions League – Messi would finish the campaign with 11 goals (just 6 in Ligue 1) and 15 assists across all competitions – the first time he’s failed to hit double figures in a league season since his 2005-06. 

There was another league title win, but again the club exited the Champions League, losing to Real Madrid in the Round of 16. Towards the end of the season, fans became frustrated with Messi, and the player looked like a forlorn figure with his heart still firmly with his long-time love. 

By his own admission, the first season in Paris didn’t go as planned for Messi, but having acclimatised to life in the French city, the following campaign began much better for the forward. It kicked off with a goal in PSG’s 4-0 win over Nantes to land the Trophee des Champions and by the end of October, he had already bettered his goal tally for the whole of last season.

Beginning of the end 

But it proved to be the peak of his spell in Paris and after winning the World Cup with Argentina in Qatar, the second half of the season saw more disappointment.

PSG were dumped out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich, while a miscommunication with the club over a promotional trip created tension around Messi and his commitment to the cause.

That tension brewed among the fans, and once again, frustrations were laid at the feet of Messi and his superstar teammates. With Messi’s contract expiring at the end of the season, it became increasingly unlikely that his fling in Paris would be extended any further and it was no surprise when it was announced he would be leaving the club at the end of the 2022-23 season.

There was another league title and 21 more goals, but there was always a sense that he never really got over the Barcelona break-up and that PSG never managed to heal that wound. While the club’s primary goal of winning the Champions League remained unfilled, even with Lionel Messi in tow. 



Now, two years after leaving Paris behind, a more settled Messi, finally over his Barcelona breakup and enjoying a new life with a club that suits him at this stage in his life, comes face-to-face with his former flame. 

It's a PSG that is stronger and more attractive than ever, having finally secured their Champions League dream and with a team full of young superstar names. 

However, if there was one man who could create a moment of magic to remind his former employers of what they used to have, then it's Messi. 

The stage is set to heal some wounds and give Inter Miami - his newest squeeze - their biggest win in their history. (Getty Images)

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