Lionel Messi arrived in France with much fanfare and hope, with the expectation that he would be the missing piece to deliver the Champions League for Paris Saint-Germain. Two years later, the Argentinian is set to leave without accomplishing that goal and having only produced his best in bits and pieces.
While his time in Paris may not have been a complete success, it did not do any harm to the Qatari-owned brand as a sporting entity, and it aided him in achieving the crowning glory of his career at the 2020 World Cup. During his unveiling in August 2021, Messi had proclaimed winning the Champions League for the fifth time in his career as his “dream,” adding that he was in “the ideal place” to achieve it.
However, things did not quite work out as expected, and despite having Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in the same team, PSG failed to match the heights that fans and analysts had dreamed of. They lost to Manchester City in the semi-finals last year and despite boasting a talented squad that included Lionel Messi, they crashed out in the last 16 against Real Madrid this year.
It is worth noting that there seems to be a reason why Messi’s former coach at Barcelona, Pep Guardiola, did not pursue him, despite describing him as the best player ever. Reports have emerged that accommodating the three attacking elites had weakened PSG’s overall team cohesion and balance.
With Messi leaving, PSG now faces the task of building a more balanced team that can compete with the best. It is a daunting challenge, but one that they will have to embark on if they hope to win the Champions League.
While Messi did enjoy some success with PSG, he was never as comfortable as he was with Barcelona, and he often struggled with the physical nature of the French league. Despite this, he had a productive season, with 16 Ligue 1 goals and 16 assists, making him the player with the most assists in France’s top division.
As Messi sets to depart PSG, it is time for him and the club to move on. Even though he leaves without achieving the goal he was brought in for, Messi’s tenure at PSG will remain notable, owing to the impression he made on those he worked with and against in France’s top flight.
It has been a great privilege to have Lionel Messi in the French league, and his name will remain an important one in the annals of football history.
