Inter Miami stands as the sole MLS representative in the Club World Cup`s Round of 16. After exceeding expectations in the group stage, their challenge intensifies as they face Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, the former club of Lionel Messi.
Messi`s move to Miami in 2023 marked the end of a two-year period with the French champions, a spell often seen as being defined more by challenges and underachievement than success. Although he did secure two Ligue 1 titles and the Trophee des Champions during his brief time in Paris, the club`s inability to clinch the UEFA Champions League with the formidable trio of Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe is a lasting legacy of that era. This contrasted sharply with his achievements for Argentina, including defeating Mbappe`s France in the World Cup final during his final months as a PSG player.
Sunday`s match in Atlanta brings fresh focus to that chapter of Messi`s club career, particularly as it presents one of the knockout stage`s most unique matchups. Miami is expected to be the only team outside of Europe or South America to reach this stage, positioning them as significant underdogs against PSG, who recently celebrated their first Champions League title just weeks prior. Messi`s reunion with his former Barcelona manager, Luis Enrique, now coaching PSG, is not only the dominant storyline leading up to the game but could also prove to be a defining moment of the Round of 16.
Here is a look back at the key moments during Messi`s time at PSG:
Match Information: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Inter Miami
- Date: Sunday, June 29
- Time: 12 p.m. ET
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium — Atlanta, Georgia
- TV: TNT
- Live stream: Watch on DAZN (for free)
- Odds: Paris Saint-Germain -600; Draw +600; Inter Miami +1200
August 10, 2021: Messi Joins PSG
Just two days after bidding a tearful farewell to Barcelona due to the club`s financial constraints preventing his re-signing, Messi officially completed his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain. In PSG`s announcement, he stated the club matched his “football ambitions.” Considering Messi`s salary requirements and PSG`s financial power since the 2011 takeover by Qatar Sports Investments, the move felt like a logical fit. This transfer instantly made PSG, then managed by Mauricio Pochettino, a prime contender for the Champions League, especially with Neymar and Mbappe already part of the star-studded attack.
September 28, 2021: First PSG Champions League Goal
As PSG continued to establish a strong lead in Ligue 1, they secured their initial Champions League win of the season against Manchester City, pitting Messi against his former Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola. He netted his first goal for PSG in the competition that day with a moment of brilliance. In the 70th minute, Messi received the ball from Marco Verratti near the halfway line, drove into City`s half, played a pass to Mbappe at the edge of the box, received a quick one-touch return, and powerfully struck the ball into the net from the top of the area.
March 9, 2022: Champions League Exit vs. Real Madrid
Facing another familiar opponent, Messi`s PSG finished second in their group and were drawn against Real Madrid in the Round of 16. The tie ultimately proved unsuccessful for them. Despite Messi missing a penalty in the first leg, PSG held a 1-0 home advantage thanks to Mbappe`s stoppage-time winner. Mbappe extended the lead early in the return leg in Madrid, giving PSG a 2-0 aggregate cushion. However, Karim Benzema`s rapid 17-minute hat-trick in the second half overturned the deficit, eliminating the highly-fancied PSG side earlier than hoped.
March 8, 2023: Another Champions League Elimination by Bayern Munich
Almost exactly one year after their previous Round of 16 departure, PSG faced the same outcome. This time, they suffered a convincing defeat against Bayern Munich, losing 3-0 on aggregate across the two legs under manager Christophe Galtier. Following their path to the final in 2020 and their subsequent victory this year, the two seasons with Messi were the only occasions in this recent period where PSG did not reach the Champions League semifinals.
April 8, 2023: European Club Scoring Record Broken
Although Messi later described his tenure at PSG as “difficult,” his time in the French capital included significant milestones. In a match against Nice in the spring of 2023, Messi became the leading goalscorer in European club football, scoring his 702nd goal at this level and surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo`s tally. In the same 2-0 victory for PSG, Messi also reached a career total of 1,000 goal contributions (goals and assists combined) at the club level.
June 3, 2023: Final Match for PSG
Two days after manager Christophe Galtier confirmed his impending departure, the World Cup winner played his last game for PSG at the Parc des Princes. It was a noteworthy match, though not entirely positive for the club; Messi received some jeers from segments of the home crowd, and PSG ended up losing 3-2 to Clermont Foot, despite Kylian Mbappe giving them an early two-goal lead.
