Al-Khelaïfi responds to Messi after his criticism of his years at PSG: “It’s not respectful”

Lionel Messi, a football legend… and a casting error in Paris. Recruited in 2021, the Argentinian never found his place at PSG and in the capital. He left through the back door in 2023, at the end of his contract. All before committing some critical outings in the media, assuring that he “wasn’t happy” on the banks of the Seine and returning to the absence of celebration after Argentina’s victory at the World Cup . Until now, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi had not wanted to respond too vigorously. He did it Tuesday, on RMC. “He’s the best player in history,” he said in the preamble. It wasn't easy for him to come. Everything was around him at Barça, it wasn't the same in Paris, we have other players, there was Kylian, Neymar... I have great respect for him but if someone speaks badly about PSG after leaving, it’s not good, it’s not respectful.” It also and above all lacked class, that’s clear.

For post-World Cup, “NAK” said this: “We didn’t celebrate it after the World Cup? We’re in France, he won the World Cup against Kylian, it’s a French club… I didn’t want the stadium to whistle at him.” Liverpool, for example, made the same decision when Sadio Mané's Senegal won the African Cup of Nations against Mo Salah's Egypt. Note that PSG celebrated Messi at Camp des Loges. “He’s not a bad person,” continues Nasser Al-Khelaïfi. But, and this is true for everyone, not just Messi, I prefer when people talk when they are there, not afterwards. It’s not our style.” One thing is certain: Leo Messi will not leave an indelible mark in the memory of Parisian fans.