Mbappé Says Messi Was Not Respected in France
France captain Kylian Mbappé has said Lionel Messi was not given the respect he deserved during his time in France.
Mbappé, now playing for Real Madrid, spoke about Messi’s spell at Paris Saint-Germain, where the Argentine star played between 2021 and 2023.
According to Mbappé, Messi’s treatment in Ligue 1 was disappointing.
“Messi didn’t receive the respect he deserved while playing in France. It’s a shame,” Mbappé said.
Messi joined PSG as one of the biggest names in world football and had good numbers, scoring 32 goals and providing 38 assists in 75 matches. He also helped the club win two league titles.
However, his time in Paris was not smooth. Some fans at the Parc des Princes booed him, while parts of the French media strongly criticised him, especially after the team’s poor results in the UEFA Champions League.
Many people believe Messi was unfairly blamed for the club’s problems, as PSG focused more on signing big stars instead of building a balanced team.
After leaving PSG, Messi went on to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina and later joined Inter Miami.
Mbappé and Messi are now expected to meet again on the world stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which could be the Argentine’s final international tournament.
