Messi draws comparisons to Neymar and Mbappe when he talks about PSG fans


Friday, June 23, 2023 at 10:40 PM• Noel Korteweg

Lionel Messi has been talking to RMC Sports commented for the first time on his poor relationship with some of the Paris Saint-Germain supporters. The 35-year-old world star will leave this summer through the back door of the Parc des Princes to Inter Miami in the MLS, but will take the time to look back on his time in the French capital. Messi points to the fact that Kylian Mbappé and Neymar have also had problems with the supporters. “It is their (PSG fans, ed.) way of doing things,” said the Argentinian.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was forced to leave Barcelona in the summer of 2021 and decided to join bosom friend Neymar in Paris. With the super trio Neymar – Mbappé – Messi, PSG’s big goal to finally win the Champions League seemed feasible, but nothing could be further from the truth. Both last season and this year, the eighth final turned out to be the final station and that was particularly blamed on Messi. For example, the 175-time international was regularly whistled at his home base les Parisians.

“It was great at the beginning,” Messi now says of his time with the champions of France. “I got a lot of messages of support, but then some of the PSG supporters started treating me differently. The majority, on the other hand, treated me as well as in the beginning.” At some point, the attacker saw that the sentiment around his person began to change in the Parc des Princes. “There was a rift with a large part of the public. That was obviously not my intention, but these are things that have already happened with Mbappé and Neymar. It is their (PSG fans, ed.) way of doing things.” However, Messi does not hold a grudge. “I still think of all those people who supported me just like in the beginning.”

Despite the two disappointing adventures in the Champions League with PSG, Messi captured the Ligue 1 twice with the Parisians. The French Super Cup was also won. In March, the hard core of les Parisians that Messi was going to be whistled in the home game with Stade Rennes. Remarkably enough, that painful action was approved by former player Jérôme Rothen, who himself played 180 games for PSG during his playing career.

“Can’t we whistle him because it’s Messi? Just because his name is Messi? So a player can just walk around like he doesn’t give a shit and a supporter has to applaud him?” RMC wondered aloud at the time. “What nonsense, say. Of course, Messi can be whistled. It’s a player like all the others.” Rothen understood the dissatisfaction with the Argentinian’s game at PSG. “There are more and more supporters, including me, who are dissatisfied with what he has shown since he signed here (with PSG, ed.).”