Lionel Messi has taken direct and indirect shots at Paris Saint-Germain since leaving the French capital last summer. The latest aim at the Parisians revolves around the Ballon d’Or.
On Monday, Miquel Blázquez reported that the Argentine donated his eighth Ballon d’Or to FC Barcelona despite not winning the honor as a player for the club. The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner spent the 2022-23 season playing for PSG.
Messi wants to give his award to a club he didn’t win it with so that it can be displayed along with the other seven he has won while playing for Barcelona.
Presenting his award to Barça could be interpreted as another slight towards PSG, a club he has criticized multiple times since his departure. He has voiced concerns about adaptation difficulties, sporting letdowns, and the lack of celebration for his World Cup achievement at PSG.
It will be interesting to see if, at some point, someone from the media asks club president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi his thoughts on Messi’s gesture to Barcelona.