‘Winning the WC and stopping France from losing two in a row’: Messi reveals “I wasn’t appreciated by PSG fans”
‘World Cup Champion’ Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) has revealed his disappointment at the way he was treated by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) fans for preventing France from winning the World Cup.
“Lionel Messi has revealed the insults he received from PSG after the Argentine national soccer team won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar,” the British media outlet Metro reported on June 22 (KST).
In a recent interview on YouTube’s Olga, Messi claimed that he was not recognized by his former team, PSG, after winning his first World Cup trophy.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar last November, Messi captained Argentina’s national soccer team to a stunning performance in every game, leading his country to its first World Cup title in 36 years. Messi also scored seven goals and won the Golden Ball, which is awarded to the tournament’s MVP.
Messi has been considered one of the greatest players in soccer history for his many trophies, but he had never won a World Cup, so many fans were thrilled to see him finally lift his first World Cup trophy.
While many sent him congratulatory messages, Messi raised eyebrows when he claimed that he didn’t receive much of a welcome from his former club, PSG.
When asked about his time at PSG, Messi said, “It happened. It wasn’t what I expected, but I think things always happen for a reason,” he said, adding, “Even though I didn’t do well at PSG, I became a World Cup champion there. Everything happens for a reason,” he said.
“I had a good relationship with everyone at PSG and I could understand the negative reaction of the PSG fans,” he said, adding, “I was a player on the winning team in the final and it was because of us that France lost the World Cup for the second time in a row.”
“I was the only member of the Argentine national team who was not recognized by the team, but that’s okay,” he added.
Messi’s Argentina met France in the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The French, who were crowned champions at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, were looking to make it back to the final for a second consecutive tournament.
The final between Argentina and France became one of the most memorable matches in World Cup history. Argentina led 2-0 at halftime with goals from Messi and Angel Di Maria (SL Benfica), but a second-half multi-goal effort from French ace Kylian Mbappe (PSG) tied the game and sent it into extra time.
Messi struck again in extra time to give Argentina the lead, but Mbappe completed his hat trick from the penalty spot to draw the game to 3-3, sending the match to penalty kicks.
In the championship-deciding penalty shootout, Argentina won 4-2 after back-to-back misses by France’s No. 1 and No. 2 kickers, giving them their first World Cup title in 36 years. In the final, Messi played like an Argentine ace, scoring two goals to win his first World Cup title. 스포츠토토
However, Messi’s performance, which prevented France from winning a second straight title, irked PSG fans. Despite being a World Cup champion, Messi was not received as well by PSG fans as he had hoped, and he eventually left the club when his contract expired on June 30.
After leaving PSG, Messi moved to the U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) and joined Inter Miami, where he is now playing “happy soccer” to the delight of the fans. Since joining Miami, Messi has scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 12 appearances, helping the club to win the League Cup for the first time in its history.