“I never received the recognition I deserved from PSG” — Messi

Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi has throwed more jabs at former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) over the negative treatment he received in the aftermath of the World Cup win in Qatar with Argentina.

The World Cup winner alleged that he did not receive recognition from the club for his pivotal role in leading Argentina to World Cup victory in Qatar.

Lionel Messi who remains an iconic figure in the football world, had long pursued the elusive World Cup title, and his dream finally came true in Qatar when he guided Argentina to their first World Cup victory since 1986.

Notably, he was named the Player of the Tournament, showcasing his exceptional skills by scoring in every round, including a pair of goals in a thrilling final against France, where Argentina triumphed in a penalty shootout.

However, despite being adored by Argentines for delivering the prestigious trophy, Messi claims that he was the sole player who did not receive recognition from his club.

In a recent statement, Messi expressed his disappointment, saying,

“I was the only player that didn’t receive recognition from the club compared to my 25 other teammates.”

While Messi did receive a special guard of honor from his PSG teammates upon his return from a 10-day break following the World Cup celebrations, his grievance seems to be directed towards the club’s top management.

It was reported that Messi had expressed a desire to present the World Cup at the Parc des Princes stadium before a match.

However, PSG reportedly hesitated, fearing a potentially negative reaction from the fans, especially considering that Argentina had defeated teammate Kylian Mbappe’s France in the World Cup final.

Notably, Messi’s relationship with PSG’s ultras was known to be strained, and he left the club after just two seasons when his contract expired.

He subsequently signed with David Beckham’s Inter Miami franchise in Major League Soccer (MLS).

Since joining Inter Miami, Messi appears to be relishing his club football, scoring 11 goals and captaining the team to two cup finals.

However, he did miss a couple of games while on international duty with Argentina, and most recently, he was sidelined for La Albiceleste’s match against Bolivia in La Paz due to a minor injury.

Returning to the pitch for Inter Miami on Thursday night, Messi was substituted before half-time in a resounding 4-0 victory over Toronto FC.