In the summer of 2021, world football rocked. Lionel Messi left FC Barcelona, an unimaginable departure a few weeks earlier. In Paris, the Argentinian was expected as a hero capable of finally offering PSG this coveted European trophy. But how did Paris really succeed this major blow? Today, a player present at the heart of the discussions finally delivers amazing confidences on this historic transfer.
Messi at PSG, revelations on a decisive evening
It is Marco Verratti who breaks down today, revealing how he himself participated in convincing Messi to join Paris. During an impromptu evening in Ibiza organized by Neymar, the Italian finds himself dinner with Argentinian, Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes. According to Verratti, this dinner which has become “magic” would have weighed heavily in the scale. Neymar had planned everything to show Messi that Paris could become his new home, far from the Barcelona financial crisis.
This dinner was not planned as an official negotiation. However, according to Verratti, the relaxed atmosphere allowed Parisians to “harass” Messi friendly to convince him. The next morning, when Neymar announced to Verratti: “Marco, Leo comes with us”no one fully achieves the scope of this evening. A few days later, Messi arrived in Paris, causing an unprecedented euphoria in the French capital.
Verratti and Neymar secretly convinced Messi to join PSG.
An ideal wedding on paper, but …
On paper, everything seemed perfect: Messi found his friends Neymar and Di Maria, the workforce was cut for him, and the city of Paris ready to adopt him. However, the rest of the story is far from the ideal scenario imagined that evening in Ibiza. Messi has never really found his place in the Paris collective, and the European disillusions only increased his discomfort.
Messi's departure to Inter Miami, punctuated by harsh statements against PSG, is today showing the obvious failure of this union. What was to be an exceptional sporting story turned to mutual misunderstanding. In the end, neither PSG nor Messi took advantage of a collaboration which nevertheless seemed so promising during this famous evening in Spain.
