Lionel Messi, the striker for Paris Saint-Germain, has reacted to receiving a guard of respect from his teammates and staff upon his return to the club following his victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Argentina won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar last December, spearheaded by Messi. The 35-year-old also received the World Cup Golden Ball trophy as the competition’s top player.
Following a lengthy hiatus, the former Barcelona captain returned to PSG on Wednesday. Messi was greeted warmly by his PSG colleagues and a select members of the club’s staff.
Interestingly, Mbappe was not present when Messi returned, while Neymar was among the first to congratulate him.
As he stepped onto the training ground for the first time in 2023, Messi was flanked by his teammates.
PSG sporting director Luis Campos also presented the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner with a gold trophy emblazoned with a star and his name to celebrate his FIFA World Cup success.
In response, Messi expressed gratitude for the kind reception in an Instagram post. He also stated that he was excited to resume his club season with PSG.
Messi wrote, “Many thanks to my colleagues and all the people of the club for the welcome they gave me. We’re back and looking forward to continuing to meet the goals of this season, now with the @psg.”