Inter Miami stands as the sole MLS team to reach the Club World Cup`s Round of 16. After exceeding expectations in the group stage, their challenge intensifies as they face Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, the former club of Lionel Messi.
Messi departed the French champions in 2023 for Miami, concluding a two-year period marked more by difficulty and unmet expectations than success. While he secured two Ligue 1 titles and the Trophee des Champions in Paris, the club`s failure to win the UEFA Champions League with the star trio of Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe remains a key takeaway from that era. This contrasts sharply with his triumphs for Argentina, notably defeating Mbappe`s France in the World Cup final during his last phase at PSG.
Sunday`s Round of 16 encounter in Atlanta brings back memories of Messi`s time in Paris, especially as this fixture is arguably the most distinctive in the knockout stage. Inter Miami is anticipated to be the sole team from outside Europe or South America to progress from the group stage, positioning them as underdogs against PSG, who recently clinched their first-ever Champions League title. The narrative surrounding Messi facing his former team, now managed by his former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique, is set to dominate discussions and could prove a pivotal moment in the Round of 16.
Here`s a look back at the major moments in Messi`s time at PSG.
August 10, 2021: Messi Arrives in Paris
Just two days after an emotional departure from Barcelona due to financial constraints preventing his re-signing, Messi formally joined Paris Saint-Germain. In PSG`s announcement, he stated the club `matches my football ambitions,` a fitting move given his salary requirements and PSG`s financial strength under Qatar Sports Investments since 2011. The transfer immediately positioned PSG, then led by Mauricio Pochettino, as a major contender for the Champions League, boasting an exceptionally talented attack featuring Neymar and Mbappe.
September 28, 2021: First Champions League Goal for PSG
While PSG established a significant lead in Ligue 1, they also secured their first Champions League victory of the season against Manchester City, a match where Messi encountered his former Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola. Messi netted his first Champions League goal for PSG that day, a truly exceptional effort. In the 70th minute, he received the ball from Marco Verratti at midfield, advanced deep into City`s half, found Mbappe near the box, and played a pass. Mbappe returned the ball with a single touch, allowing Messi to unleash a powerful shot from the edge of the area into the goal.
March 9, 2022: Champions League Elimination by Real Madrid
Speaking of familiar opponents, Messi`s PSG finished second in their group, setting up a Round of 16 tie against Real Madrid. The outcome was unfavorable for PSG. Despite Messi missing a penalty in the first leg, Mbappe`s late winner secured a 1-0 home advantage, and he scored again in the first half in Madrid, giving PSG a 2-0 aggregate lead. However, a rapid 17-minute hat-trick from Karim Benzema in the second half led to the elimination of the star-filled PSG side much sooner than anticipated.
March 8, 2023: Another Champions League Exit, This Time to Bayern Munich
Almost exactly one year after their previous Round of 16 elimination, PSG suffered the same fate, this time in a conclusive defeat to Bayern Munich. Under coach Christophe Galtier, PSG lost the tie 3-0 on aggregate. Compared to PSG`s journey to the final in 2020 and their win this year, the two seasons featuring Messi were notable as the only instances where they failed to reach the Champions League semifinals.
April 8, 2023: Breaking the European Club Scoring Record
Although Messi later characterized his period at PSG as `challenging,` his two years in Paris weren`t without highlights. In a match against Nice in the spring of 2023, Messi set a new record by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in European club football with his 702nd goal, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo. In the same 2-0 victory for PSG, Messi also reached his 1,000th goal contribution in club football.
June 3, 2023: Final Appearance for PSG
Two days following coach Christophe Galtier`s confirmation of his departure, the World Cup champion played his last game for PSG at the Parc des Princes. The occasion was notable but not entirely positive for PSG; Messi received jeers from some supporters, and the team ultimately lost 3-2 to Clermont, despite Mbappe scoring twice early on.
Adrian Whitmore 
Benedict Kingsley