“I did not enjoy myself and that affected my family life” – Lionel Messi makes honest admission about PSG stint
Lionel Messi has revealed that he did not have the best of times whilst representing Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for two seasons. This comes after the Argentina superstar was announced as an Inter Miami player.
Messi gave an interview to Spanish outlets Mundo Deportivo and SPORT to clarify questions surrounding this future. In the interview, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner opened up on his time in the French capital.
Lionel Messi claimed that he did not enjoy his time at PSG which had an adverse effect on his personal life with his family. The former Barcelona star was quoted as saying the following (via Roy Nemer on Twitter):
"These were two years at PSG in which I was not happy, I did not enjoy myself, and that affected my family life."
Lionel Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer back in the summer of 2021. The 2022 World Cup-winning captain penned a two-year contract with the club. The contract will expire at the end of this month, making Messi a free agent and allowing him to join any club on a free transfer.
Messi's transfer was one of the biggest saga in the ongoing summer transfer window. Barcelona, Inter Miami, and Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Hilal were all interested in signing the superstar forward. Ultimately, he decided to move to the MLS via Inter Miami instead.
Lionel Messi's time at PSG was filled with highs and lows
Lionel Messi had a roller coaster time at PSG during his two years with the Ligue 1 outfit. He had an underwhelming campaign during his first season at the club, contributing 11 goals and 15 assists in 34 games across competitions. But he quickly established as one of the best players in his second season at the Parc des Princes.
Messi went on to win the Ligue 1 title in each of his two seasons. The Argentina skipper also won the Trophee des Champions earlier in the 2022-23 season. Those, however, were the only trophies he would win whilst in France.
Messi failed to propel Paris Saint-Germain to their elusive UEFA Champions League title in his two seasons at the club. He also failed to win the Coupe de France.
Overall, Lionel Messi went on to score 32 goals and provide 35 assists from 73 games for PSG across all competitions. During his tenure, he developed a tremendous partnership with fellow attackers Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr.
However, there were instances where he, along with Neymar were jeered by their own sets of followers. The pair were booed after Paris Saint-Germain exited the Champions League in the Round of 16 following their defeat to Real Madrid during the 2021-22 season.
Messi was also booed in the latter stages of the 2022-23 season due to his performances and his unauthorized visit to Saudi Arabia.