Inter Miami, potentially the only MLS team to advance to the Club World Cup`s Round of 16, faces a significant challenge ahead after exceeding expectations in the group stage. Their next opponent is Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, a club with deep ties to Miami`s star player, Lionel Messi.
Messi departed the French champions in 2023, ending a two-year period in his club career that was often characterized more by difficulties and unmet expectations than resounding success. While he did secure two Ligue 1 titles and the Trophee des Champions during his relatively short tenure in Paris, the lasting impression of that era is the team`s failure to clinch the UEFA Champions League, despite featuring a formidable attacking trio of Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe. This contrasted sharply with his monumental achievement for Argentina during his final months at PSG, where he defeated Mbappe`s France in the World Cup final.
Sunday`s knockout match in Atlanta serves as a fresh reminder of Messi`s spell in Paris. This fixture is particularly noteworthy as Miami is expected to be the sole team from outside Europe or South America to progress from the group stage, positioning them as clear underdogs against a PSG side that recently celebrated winning their first Champions League title just weeks prior. The storyline of Messi confronting his former club, now coached by his ex-Barcelona manager Luis Enrique, is not only the dominant focus leading up to the game but could also become a defining moment of the Round of 16.
Key Moments from Lionel Messi`s Time at PSG
August 10, 2021: Messi Joins PSG
Two days after an emotional farewell to Barcelona, necessitated by the Spanish club`s financial limitations preventing his re-signing, Messi officially completed his move to Paris Saint-Germain. In PSG`s announcement, he stated that the club “matches my football ambitions.” This transfer felt like a natural fit given Messi`s salary requirements and PSG`s significant financial power under Qatar Sports Investments since 2011. The move instantly elevated PSG, then managed by Mauricio Pochettino, to a leading contender for the Champions League, assembling one of the most star-studded forward lines in recent memory alongside Neymar and Mbappe.
September 28, 2021: First Champions League Goal
As PSG comfortably led Ligue 1, they secured their initial Champions League victory of the season against Manchester City, putting Messi up against his former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. He netted his first PSG goal in the competition that day with a spectacular effort. In the 70th minute, Messi received the ball near the halfway line from Marco Veratti, dribbled deep into City`s territory, found Mbappe on the edge of the box, received a quick return pass, and powerfully struck the ball into the net from just outside the penalty area.
March 9, 2022: Champions League Exit Against Real Madrid
In the Round of 16 of the 2021-2022 Champions League, PSG was drawn against familiar rivals Real Madrid. The tie ultimately went against them. Despite Messi missing a penalty in the first leg, PSG held a 1-0 lead from that match thanks to Mbappe and extended their aggregate lead to 2-0 early in the second leg. However, Karim Benzema`s rapid 17-minute hat-trick in the second half stunned the French side, leading to the early elimination of the star-laden PSG team, much sooner than anticipated.
March 8, 2023: Bayern Munich Ends Champions League Campaign
Almost precisely one year after their previous Round of 16 elimination, PSG faced the same fate in the Champions League. This time, they were convincingly defeated by Bayern Munich, losing 3-0 on aggregate over two legs under manager Christophe Galtier. Compared to PSG`s strong runs in the competition (reaching the final in 2020 and winning in 2024), the two seasons featuring Messi were the only instances in that period where they failed to reach at least the semifinals.
April 8, 2023: Breaks European Club Scoring Record
While Messi later described his time at PSG as “difficult,” it wasn`t without significant individual achievements. In a match against Nice in the spring of 2023, Messi became the all-time leading goalscorer in European club football, scoring his 702nd goal at that level and surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo. In the same 2-0 victory for PSG, Messi also reached another major milestone: 1,000 goal contributions (goals plus assists) in his club career.
June 3, 2023: Plays Final Match for PSG
Just two days after his departure was officially confirmed by manager Christophe Galtier, Lionel Messi played his final game for Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes. The occasion was somewhat overshadowed, as sections of the home crowd booed him. The match itself ended in a surprising 3-2 home defeat to Clermont Foot, despite Kylian Mbappe scoring twice for PSG early in the game.
Adrian Whitmore