"How do you play all 3 in the same team?" - Thierry Henry says Lionel Messi 'couldn't be the boss' at PSG with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar
Thierry Henry is bemused that Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe played together in a Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) side.
The attacking troika graced the Parc des Princes for two seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23). Although PSG won the Ligue 1 title with ease, they went out in the UEFA Champions League in the Round of 16 both times.
Henry, who manages France's U21 side, told RMC Sport (via Daily Mail) that he couldn't have fathomed himself playing in the PSG side that had Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe.
While the three are elite attackers in their own right, the team suffered due to a lack of defined structure. Considering the same, Henry responded to whether Messi's stint at the Parisians was underwhelming by saying:
"No, I'll say why. I remind you when I arrived at the beginning (as a pundit) on Amazon, I said "For me to play in this team, it's a headache. I was talking about structure, organisation. How do you play with all three (Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe) at the same time?"
Henry contrasted that to Argentina, who have a defined structure that allows Messi to shine. He added:
"When he (Messi) played with the Argentina team, (there was) a structure. There are not three Messi's, just him. You put him in a framework where he alone is the boss (and he will shine)."
Messi bagged 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 games across competitions at PSG before leaving on a free transfer to Inter Miami this summer. Meanwhile, his former Barcelona teammate Neymar joined Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
How has Lionel Messi performed since leaving PSG?
Lionel Messi has hit the ground running at MLS side Inter Miami, whom he joined on a free transfer in July. In 11 games across competitions, he has netted as many times and has also bagged five assists.
The former PSG attacker introduced himself to the South Florida faithful with a glorious 94th-minute free-kick winner against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup. There would be no looking back from there.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner netted nine more times and assisted once in the next six games - scoring in each outing - as the Herons won their first-ever trophy. Messi then starred with a brace to take Miami to the US Open Cup final.
In the MLS, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner scored on his debut. That ended his side's 11-game winless league run and moved them off the foot of the Eastern Conference. He has bagged two assists in his next two games in the competition for Tata Martino's side.