In a candid interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Lionel Messi opened up about his challenging two-year stint at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), revealing that he “didn’t enjoy” his time at the club. The Argentine superstar, who joined the French side in 2021 after a 21-year career at Barcelona, described his experience at PSG as a difficult period of adaptation.
“Coming to play for Inter Miami was an opportunity and the way things developed during my last years in Paris, although it was a decision that I had to make on the go, because I had to leave from Barcelona, I went through two years which I didn’t enjoy,” Messi shared. “I wasn’t happy on a daily basis, with the training, the matches. I had a hard time adapting to all that.”
Messi scored 32 goals and provided 35 assists in 76 appearances for PSG before leaving for Inter Miami, co-owned by David Beckham, in Major League Soccer. Despite his impressive performance on the field, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s relationship with PSG fans became strained, and he felt a significant shift in their treatment of him.
Since joining Inter Miami, Messi has contributed 36 goals and 20 assists in 42 appearances, and he aims to help the club and Major League Soccer continue to grow. PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi criticized Messi for lacking “respect” for the French club upon his departure, further highlighting the tension between the player and the club.
Messi’s reflections on his time at PSG provide insight into the challenges even the world’s greatest footballers face when adapting to new environments and navigating the complexities of professional sports.
