"Messi plays with statues": Ibrahimovic rips into Inter Miami after Club World Cup loss to PSG
Synopsis
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami suffered a 4-0 defeat against PSG in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Zlatan Ibrahimovic defended Messi, blaming Inter Miami's subpar team and lack of quality players for the loss.
Lionel Messi's reunion with his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, ended in a dismal 4-0 defeat for Inter Miami. Despite Messi's signature performance, orchestrating passes and building moves, his team was no match for the UEFA Champions League winners.
The loss sparked a wave of criticism, with many fans claiming that Messi is past his prime. However, his former Barcelona teammate, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, vehemently disagreed with this assessment. In an interview with Foot Mercato, Ibrahimovic launched a scathing attack on Inter Miami, stating that Messi was let down by his teammates.
Ibrahimovic criticizes Inter Miami
"Messi didn't lose, Inter Miami did!" Ibrahimovic exclaimed. "Have you seen the team? Messi plays with statues, not teammates! If he were in a real team, like Paris, Manchester, or any other top club, you'd see the real lion."
Ibrahimovic was quick to dismiss the criticism against the Argentine captain and attributed overall output of Inter Miami to the subpar quality of Messi's teammates and the league. "There are no coaches, no stars, not even players who understand how to move without the ball!" he lamented. "You want to blame Messi? When he plays with Ronaldo, Mbappé, Haaland, or me, then you can talk! But today? No, no, no, no."
“Messi is still Messi”
The Swedish football legend stated that Messi still possesses the skills to dominate at the highest level, but he needs to be surrounded by better players. "But be careful, if you give him a real team, he'll burn down the stadium again! Because, quite simply, Messi is still Messi."
Finally, Ibrahimovic aptly put it, "It's not his defeat, it's the defeat of Inter Miami and of football."