Lionel Messi: no special treatment at PSG following World Cup triumph

Lionel Messi recently spoke about his time at PSG and touched upon the lack of recognition he received upon returning from the World Cup.

Despite the geographical distance of 8,278 kilometers between Miami and Paris, the connection between Messi and PSG remains intact, at least in the media's eyes.

Every minute and nugget dropped by the Argentine GOAT is enough for folks to jump at the occasion, and that's what happened earlier this week.

During an interview with an Argentinian YouTube channel named "Olga," Messi was asked about the absence of celebration by PSG and its supporters when he returned after winning the World Cup.

"I got along well with them – with Kylian Mbappe and the French players," Messi explained. "Afterwards, it's understandable: I was with those whom we had beaten in the final, and it was, quote-on-quote, our fault that they could not be crowned world champions again."

Said Messi: "I was the only player [of the Argentina international team winning the World Cup] not to have been honored," he added, acknowledging an understanding of the disappointment felt by the French Parisian supporters.

Messi also subtly revisited his stint at PSG, spanning two seasons, without directly criticizing his former club as he had done in previous media appearances. "Things are like this. It didn't go as I hoped, but I was a World Champion while being there, and I always said that things don't happen without reason," Messi noted.

In his time with PSG, Messi played a total of 75 matches across all competitions, scoring 32 goals, providing 35 assists, and winning three trophies (two Ligue 1 titles and one Champions Trophy).

Messi failed to deliver PSG his first Champions League, though, crashing out of the competition early in back-to-back seasons. He is now playing in the lower-lever MLS in the United States of America in the Florida-based club Inter Miami.