Angel Di Maria says playing with Lionel Messi for PSG and Argentina is the best thing that happened in his career
Angel Di Maria has claimed that playing alongside Lionel Messi for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Argentina is the best thing that has happened in his career.
The Argentine winger played one season with Messi at the Parc des Princes. However, the 35-year-old lacked game time in the 2021-22 campaign, starting 22 of 31 games across competitions.
That needn't matter to Di Maria though as he is just grateful for having had the opportunity to play with Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup hero. He said (via Albiceleste Talk):
“The best thing that happened in my career is that I played with Leo Messi in the national team and club. I participated with him for a year in the club and did not play. I knew that if he came I would not play much."
Di Maria then shed light on prior conversations with his wife and Leandro Paredes before Lionel Messi's arrival. He insists that taking a step back from the starting lineup was worth it:
"I told my wife and Paredes that I would not play anymore, but to be with him for a year and train with him for a year and see him every day is the best thing that will happen to me. I think this is the most important thing.”
The attacking duo were part of the PSG side that won the Ligue 1 title in 2021-22. Messi bagged six goals and 15 assists in 26 league games while Di Maria managed five goals and eight assists in as many games.
The former Real Madrid winger left the Parc des Princes last summer and joined Serie A giants Juventus. However, he linked back up with Messi at the FIFA World Cup at the end of last year. Argentina went on to win the competition for the third time in their history.
Lionel Messi has now followed Di Maria out of the exit door as he has left the Parisians and joined MLS side Inter Miami. However, both are still part of the Argentina national team as the latter postponed his international retirement in December.
Di Maria questioned PSG's handling of Lionel Messi when positioning Kylian Mbappe as the focal point of the club
Di Maria has questioned PSG's decision to give Kylian Mbappe so much power while they had the greatest player in history in their team. He told ESPN:
"I think France in general have given Mbappe a lot of responsibility. The people, the president, PSG. They made him stay when he could have left and gave him all the power to be him and no one else. But there's a big difference, they gave him all that power with the best in history [Messi] next to him."
Lionel Messi's time at PSG was a tumultuous ride with the iconic forward not holding the fondest of relationships with fans. The French media was also sometimes scathing in their assessment of his performances.
The Argentine icon took somewhat of a backseat to Mbappe with regard to his being viewed as the main protagonist at the Parc des Princes. This occurred when the Ligue 1 champions handed the French striker a new two-year deal last year.
Lionel Messi leaves the French capital for Inter Miami as a two-time Ligue 1 champion. He scored 32 goals and provided 35 assists in 75 games across competitions.