By Ibrahim Danladi
Lionel Messi’s arrival at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was greeted with immense excitement, as he was seen as the key figure who would lead the team to Champions League glory. However, after two years at the club, the Argentine superstar is set to depart without achieving that ultimate goal and with only sporadic displays of his brilliant abilities.
It’s challenging to label Messi’s time at PSG as a success, despite the move benefiting both his personal brand and the Qatar-owned club as a sporting entity. While it set him up for a potential crowning moment at the 2022 World Cup, it fell short of fulfilling his dream of winning the Champions League for the fifth time in his career.
During his unveiling in August 2021, Messi spoke of his aspirations, presenting himself as the ideal candidate to bring European success to PSG. This resonated with club president Nasser al-Khelaifi and the fans, who were desperate to witness their team lifting the prestigious trophy.
However, PSG’s progress with Messi has been regressive. They were eliminated in the Champions League Round of 16 last season by Real Madrid under the leadership of Mauricio Pochettino. This year, they suffered the same fate at the hands of Bayern Munich with Christophe Galtier at the helm.
One must question why Pep Guardiola, who often hailed Messi as the best player of all time, did not actively pursue the aging Argentine for Manchester City. Guardiola’s side has reached the Champions League final this season and is currently performing at a level that PSG, despite having Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar in their ranks, cannot hope to match.
Accommodating these three attacking superstars has weakened PSG as a collective unit. Now, the club faces the challenge of building a more balanced team without a player who turns 36 this month and commands a substantial annual salary of approximately 30 million euros ($32.1 million) after tax.
In early 2023, Messi faced jeers from some PSG supporters at the Parc des Princes. This preceded an incident where he skipped training to make an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia as a tourism ambassador for the Gulf state, resulting in a one-week suspension. It became clear that a contract extension for Messi in Paris was unlikely after this episode.
As Messi prepares to leave PSG, it may be time for the World’s Best to seek a new challenge and continue his illustrious career elsewhere.