PSG star Lionel Messi on Argentina’s World Cup win, Kylian Mbappé, life in Paris, the Champions League…

Lionel Messi received plenty of gifts at the end of 2022, Christmas and otherwise. Winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was the icing on the cake for the Argentina star, who had dreamt of lifting the famous trophy for so long. The Albiceleste star has had his ups and downs since leaving Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain at the start of the 2021-22 season and despite now being well over 30, that new challenge has had its difficulties. Ahead of the French side’s Champions League round of 16 clash against Bayern Munich, in which Messi and his teammates have to overcome a 1-0 defeat in the home leg, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner spoke to the PSG media team about life in Paris amongst other things.

Argentina’s 2022 World Cup win

First of all, Messi was asked about what it meant for him personally to have finally got his hands on the World Cup. “It was incredible. Everything that I went through was amazing. It is very difficult to explain it because it is a lifelong dream that we were able to make come true and share with the people of Argentina, the way they celebrated... We expected it to be crazy but not that crazy”, explained the Albiceleste captain, who was given a guard of honour by his teammates and other club staff upon his return from Qatar. “For those of us who were lucky enough to play, it’s a moment that will stay with us for the rest of our lives, as well as for the people of Argentina”, he added.

Full screen

Kylian Mbappé's World Cup heroics

Messi discussed the final against France and explained what it was like to face Kylian Mbappé, his PSG teammate that has such a fantastic understanding with. “It was a frantic final, it was crazy how the game unfolded. The way that Kylian played too, scoring three goals in a final and not winning it is unbelievable... But he won it before and he knows what it is to be a World Cup winner. Now it’s nice to be able to play in the same team and hopefully we can achieve big things in Paris as well”, commented the ex-Barça star.

A tough start to life in Paris

The PSG number 30 went on to talk about his time in France, a period of his life that hasn’t been plain sailing but which has seen him win the The Best FIFA Football Men’s Player for 2022. “I feel very good as I have said several times. The first year, it was difficult for me to adapt to Paris for different reasons, but I started this season I differently, I was really exctied and movtivated... I felt more comfortable with the club, the city, everything about Paris”, reflected the Argentine.

Champions League the main goal for PSG

“My whole life has been like this. Dedication, hard work, effort and wanting more and more every day. I had to come to a new club and the excitement of being able to win trophies with PSG, to be able to achieve the ambitious goals that we set for ourselves”. The main objective is, of course, to win that elusive first Champions League, which they will have to do the hard way by coming behind to win in Germany on Wednesday. And that task will be made all the harder now that it has been confirmed that Neymar is set to miss the remainder of the season.

Full screen

Messi, unsurprisingly, does not expect an easy game in Munich. Having been in this position before on more than one occasion Europe’s most elite club competition, he knows that turning the tie around will be a tall order and that the “fine margins” will be vital. However, the playmaker believes PSG have turned their poor recent form around thanks to changes that have suited the whole team and could be key to keeping the Parisians’ Champions League dream alive.