‘Messi didn’t respect anyone’: Messi criticised ahead of PSG reunion at Club World Cup

Lionel Messi will face PSG in the round of 16 at the Club World Cup, with tensions running high after his criticism of life in Paris.

Paris Saint-Germain booked their place in the last 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Monday (23rd June). The result secured top spot in the group for PSG and set up a direct clash against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the next round.

The tie marks a historic milestone for the Argentine, as it will be the first time he faces one of his former clubs. The build-up to the encounter is already heating up, with tensions and sharp remarks exchanged between both camps.

PSG and Messi: From promising partnership to fractured relationship
Messi spent two seasons at PSG between 2021 and 2023, following his emotional and unexpected departure from Barcelona. In Paris, he formed a star-studded attacking trio alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, but his time at the club was overshadowed by underwhelming results in the Champions League.

Since his move to Major League Soccer, Messi has been vocal about his disappointment with life in the French capital. “I wasn’t happy,” he admitted in an interview before signing for Inter Miami. “I struggled to adapt to daily life, to training, to the matches.”

The Argentine’s remarks triggered a wave of criticism in France, with former player and now pundit Jérôme Rothen among the most outspoken. Speaking on RMC Sport, Rothen dismissed Messi’s complaints.

“Everyone is open to criticism. Even more so when you made a fool of the world at Paris Saint-Germain for two years, even though it was PSG that saved you. First, your salary, because Barcelona kicked you out since they could no longer pay you, and because no club in Europe would allow you to earn so much, while remaining at the highest level to win the World Cup. We clearly understand that this is why you came to Paris.”

“Why complain after the fact? He was treated with respect, lived in a 500-square-metre mansion in Neuilly, his children were in a private school, he had total protection. What kind of hardship did he face in Paris?” Rothen questioned.

“Why do you say that they expelled you and that the club did not respect you? But did you respect the people here? He didn’t respect anyone, least of all the French,” the commentator continued.
Messi’s fiery reunion with PSG awaits
The last 16 clash between PSG and Inter Miami is scheduled for Sunday (29th June) at 5pm UK time at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Rothen is not the only one weighing in on Messi’s PSG legacy. Achraf Hakimi, the Argentine’s former teammate in Paris, insisted their friendship will be set aside once the match begins.

Meanwhile, Jordi Alba, a close friend of Messi from their Barcelona days and now a teammate at Inter Miami, reignited the debate, stating that while Messi’s love for Barcelona is unquestionable, the same cannot be said for PSG.