Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has explained why Lionel Messi was not allowed to parade his FIFA World Cup trophy at the Parc des Princes. The president believes since Messi’s Argentina beat Kylian Mbappe’s France in the final, the 36-year-old’s celebrations would not have sat right with fans in Paris.
PSG Did Not Publicly Celebrate Lionel Messi’s Victory At The 2022 FIFA World Cup
Messi-led Argentina won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, beating France on penalties in the final. PSG poster boy Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the final but it was not enough to secure Les Bleus’ second-consecutive FIFA World Cup win. The 25-year-old was awarded the Golden Boot at the end of the tournament while the Inter Miami superstar took home the Golden Ball Award.
The 36-year-old won the 2022 World Cup as a PSG player but he was not allowed to flaunt it around the Parc des Princes. During an interview with RMC TV, Khelaifi revealed the decision was taken out of respect for PSG’s French roots and to protect the sentiments of France fans. The president of the Ligue 1 holders said (via GOAL):
“For me, like I said, if anyone talks about the fact that we didn’t celebrate him enough after he won the World Cup, we’re in France and he won against Kylian. We are a French club. I don’t want the whole stadium to be against him either. I think we have to respect that.”
Al-Khelaifi Believes Messi Has Not Been Respectful Toward PSG
Since leaving PSG for Inter Miami in July, Messi has been quite vocal about his struggles in the French capital. In an interview back in August, the Argentine said he had it “rough” at PSG, suggesting he did not enjoy his game during his stay there.
Al-Khelaifi has now responded to Messi’s comments, accusing the Barcelona legend of being disrespectful.
He told RMC Sport:
“We talk when we are there, not when we are gone. I have great respect for him [Messi] but if someone wants to talk badly about Paris Saint-Germain after [his departure], it’s not good. That’s not respect […] He’s not a bad guy, but I don’t like that. It’s not just for him, but for everyone.”
Before leaving Les Parisiens as a free agent, Messi played 75 games for them in all competitions, scoring 32 times and providing 35 assists.
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