Throughout his professional career, Kylian Mbappé has trained alongside numerous stars at AS Monaco, Real Madrid, France and PSG. He even formed a historic duo with Neymar Jr., winning multiple trophies. However, the 27-year-old star chose to omit the Brazilian when asked about the best player he has trained with. Instead, he decided to praise Lionel Messi, sharing an interesting anecdote.
“Messi is… it’s ridiculous (laughs). It’s not the same thing (compared to Neymar). But actually, Messi, like, he does everything right. By the way, I’m going to tell you a story. We were at Paris, we were finishing up, and in Paris, me and Ney. We were at the top of the heap in soccer world. He just came in and took ten shots. And like, me and Ney, out of 10, we scored 6 or 7… He shot nine times, he scores the same goal nine times,” Mbappé said, via The Bridge show.
During his time at Paris Saint-Germain, Lionel Messi impressed Mbappé with his performance. Upon his arrival, he won two Ligue 1 titles and a French Super Cup, leaving his mark on the team with his on-field impact. Moreover, the Argentine managed to build a strong on-field connection with the Frenchman, playing 67 matches together and contributing to 34 joint goal involvements.
Even though Messi arrived as a seasoned veteran, the Argentine managed to surpass 10 goals and 10 assists in each of his seasons with the French side. Additionally, he emerged as the link between Neymar and Mbappé, orchestrating play and boosting both of their performances. Adapting to the tough transition from Barcelona to PSG may have been challenging for Lionel, but he left a lasting impact on the French star’s career.
(L – R) Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain celebrate.
Messi’s time at PSG: underrated and overlooked
After failing to free up space in the wage bill, Lionel Messi had to leave Barcelona as a free agent, joining Paris Saint-Germain for just two seasons. As a seasoned veteran, the Argentine was unable to match his usual impact at the Blaugrana and faced criticism from fans. Nevertheless, he still made a striking impact—one that is often underestimated and overlooked.
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In just two seasons, Messi managed to score 32 goals and provide 35 assists across 75 games. Despite his overall impact, the Argentine has been criticized for not leading them to a Champions League title. Nevertheless, he helped create a solid attacking trio with Neymar and Mbappé that shone in Ligue 1. Additionally, he excelled in a team that was often defensively unbalanced and conceded a significant number of goals.
Had the Argentine coincided with Luis Enrique and his full roster, he would have had a legendary impact. Not only would he have won more titles, but he would also have enjoyed much greater freedom of movement, enhancing his influence on the pitch. Even so, Lionel Messi managed to make his mark in PSG history, shining with an impact that went beyond mere statistics.
