PSG

Lionel Messi Would’ve Considered PSG Stay If Aware of Key Decision

BBC journalist Guillem Balague revealed what could've made Lionel Messi stay in Paris.

Eduardo Razo

IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

When Lionel Messi left Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, it wasn't on the best of terms and it was the beginning of the end of the bling-bling era in the French capital.

However, could the Argentine have stayed had he known his former manager, Luis Enrique, was taking over the position? One journalist believes Messi's tenure in Paris could have been extended to play under the ex-Barcelona boss.

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BBC journalist Guillem Balague notes that the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner would have considered staying in Paris to play under the manager who coached him from 2014 to 2017 while winning the treble in his first season with the Spanish side.

Soon after he arrived, Neymar and Marco Verratti were gone. Messi, who might have stayed had he known Luis Enrique was coming, had already committed to Inter Miami. He understands and appreciates the importance of individual stars, but only up to a point.

- Guillem Balague

Balague also stated that there was hesitation on Enrique's part when offered the PSG job. There was no sign early on that the Spanish manager would take the position, considering the reputation of the capital club's obsession with having big-name players in their quest to win the UEFA Champions League.  

He thought the club only cared about names. Players such as Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. Uncoachable, he assumed. But when he heard the philosophy had changed - that they now wanted to build a team - he reconsidered.

- Guillem Balague

Nonetheless, it's hard to envision the Argentine stay in Paris considering he's stated in several interviews how difficult life was after he abruptly needed to leave Barcelona. Moreover, it didn't seem Enrique wanted PSG to have a global superstar on his squad.

His relentless edge is now driving everything at Paris St-Germain, although initially he didn't even want the job. He thought the club only cared about names.

- Guillem Balague

Now with Enrique, PSG have won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles, are in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals for a second straight season, and are looking to win a second consecutive French Cup.

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Eduardo Razo
EDUARDO RAZO

Eduardo is an experienced freelance football writer covering Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG On SI. He also covers PSG for PSG Talk and French football for Ligue 1's official English website. He's contributed to NBC Sports' regional sports networks, including NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, providing in-depth sports content for those markets.

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