'I wasn't happy': Lionel Messi bashes PSG again, reveals daily struggles in Paris

Lionel Messi reflects on his unhappy PSG stint and expresses joy in his current chapter with Inter Miami in MLS.

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Lionel Messi has once again opened up about his two-season spell at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), reiterating that he did not enjoy his time in the French capital. Speaking in an interview with Apple Music, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner revealed that his abrupt departure from FC Barcelona in 2021 led to an experience in Paris that he found unenjoyable.

“The way things turned out in my last years in Paris, even though I had to make a quick decision to leave Barcelona, I ended up spending two years that I didn’t enjoy,” Messi said, as quoted by L’Equipe. “I wasn’t happy day to day—whether it was training, matches, or just adapting to everything.”

Messi played for PSG from 2021 to 2023, making 75 appearances, scoring 32 goals, and providing 35 assists. Despite his contributions, the Parisians failed to progress past the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 in both seasons, falling short of their goal to secure the coveted European title.

Now in his second full season with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami, Messi appears much more content. The 37-year-old has yet to secure the MLS Cup or the Concacaf Champions Cup, but he has already won the Leagues Cup 2023 and helped Inter Miami finish as the club with the most points in the 2024 MLS season, earning them the Community Shield.

While Messi’s comments on his PSG stint have become a recurring theme in interviews, they further highlight the contrast between his time in France and his current chapter in the United States, where he seems to have rediscovered his joy for football.