Highlights
- Lionel Messi's time at PSG may not have met his own high standards, but he still showcased moments of genius with his playmaking skills and eye for a pass.
- One of Messi's standout moments was his incredible assist for Neymar in PSG's Ligue 1 opener against Clermont, where his sublime touch and audacity to attempt such a pass were unparalleled, though it's still debated whether Messi's assist was intentional or just a happy accident,
- Overall, Messi's spell at PSG was considered underwhelming, with Mbappe outshining him and some fans treating him differently. However, his move to Inter Miami has brought him happiness and he is enjoying his football again.
Lionel Messi's two-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain was largely underwhelming by his own standards, but that didn't stop the Argentine from producing some moments of genius.
While the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is rightly hailed as one of the best goalscorers of all time, his playmaking skills and eye for a pass are sometimes overlooked.
Forget Kevin De Bruyne, Bruno Fernandes and Martin Odegaard, Messi is arguably the greatest passer of all time and has showcased his ridiculously good vision on many occasions.
On this day a year ago, back at the start of the 2022/23 campaign, Messi and Neymar were both at their scintillating best in PSG's Ligue 1 opener against Clermont.
The two attackers ran the poor Clermont defence ragged and linked up magnificently to score the opening goal of the clash. At least, that's what Messi would have had you believe.
While on the surface it appeared as though Messi's subtle lay-off to the Brazilian was a moment of pure genius, we still don't know if he actually meant it.
Messi's incredible assist for Neymar
Let us set the scene. Attacking a cross at speed, Messi initially seemed to miss-control the ball, with it fortunately falling at the feet of Neymar who, in turn, did the rest.
However, after slow-motion replays emerged, it started to seem as though the Argentine wizard meant every little bit of what happened.
And if it was intentional, it's no exaggeration to call the sublime touch one of the best assists of all time. The vision, the execution and the sheer audacity to attempt a pass like that is something very few players are capable of doing and Messi may well be the only player good enough to execute it.
But though we've convinced ourselves that Messi knew exactly what he was doing, we'll let you make your minds up for yourself. Check out the footage below:
VIDEO: Messi's crazy assist for Neymar vs Clermont
Initial thoughts? Intentional, or just a happy accident? In reality, we may never know if he truly planned it all out but, either way, it makes for an interesting debate.
How did Messi fare at PSG?
Despite this moment of 'questionable' genius, Messi's overall spell in Paris did no go the way he and his fans had hoped it would.
The Argentine arrived at the club in 2021 as the reigning Ballon d'Or holder but it was French forward Kylian Mbappe who stole the limelight.
Mbappe scored 28 league goals in Messi's first season at PSG, while the ex-Barcelona man managed just 6.
To be fair to Messi, he did notch the most assists in the league during the 21/22 campaign with 14, but given his reputation, it was still considered a disappointing season by many.
However, his second year at the club started far better, with Messi finding his eye for a goal once again, while maintaining his impressive assist statistics.
He carried over this form to international level and inspired Argentina to victory at the Qatar World Cup – cementing his legacy as the greatest Argentine player to ever grace the game.
But upon his return to Paris, things were not the same. Messi was blamed for PSG's early Champions League exit and even started to be booed by some fans.
Speaking on his time at the club, he told beIN Sports: "Well, I think in the beginning it was something wonderful. [It was the] same as the reception I had when I arrived. But then some people started to treat me differently, a part of the Paris supporters.
"I think the vast majority still see me and treat me as they did at the beginning, but there was a fracture with a significant group of the Paris fans, which obviously wasn't my intention, far from it. And well, it happened just as it happened before with Mbappe and Neymar. I know that's the way they behave.
"But, well, I'll take away with me the people who respected me, as I always respected everyone since I arrived and that's all. It's an anecdote."
It was no surprise, therefore, when Messi announced he was leaving the club earlier this year. He finished his PSG career with 32 goals and 34 assists across two seasons – a pretty remarkable turn for your average player but as we all know, Messi is not just your average player.
Messi's move to Inter Miami
Though it's true that Messi's exit from PSG was somewhat inevitable, his decision to join Inter Miami in the MLS is something few saw coming.
His former club, Barcelona, had made no secret of their desire to see the club icon return but their ongoing financial issues made the task all but impossible.
Messi also had offers from Saudi Arabian clubs and at one stage, it seemed as though the Argentine may be set to follow Cristiano Ronaldo to the Middle East.
But in the end, it was the lure of living in Miami that won the forward around and so far, things are working out pretty well.
Messi has scored five times in his first three games for the club, including a stunning free-kick winner in stoppage time on his debut.
"I am very happy to have chosen to come to this city with my family, to have chosen this project and I have no doubt that we are going to enjoy it very much," Messi said. "We are going to have a good time and great things are going to happen. Thank you very much, thank you all for this day."
At this point, it's clear Messi is far happier in the US than he was at PSG and he seems to be enjoying his football again.
But the happiest of them all will be Inter Miami fans, who now get to watch the magician in action on a weekly basis.