Back in the French capital having finally let go of the World Cup trophy that immortalised him, Lionel Messi was on top form for Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.
His goal in the 2-0 win over Angers was a work of art. First he caressed the ball with the outside of his boot to Sergio Ramos, before receiving it back from his former arch-nemesis. After playing the ball forward once more, he raced into the box to find a calm right-footed finish.
It was a continuation of the Messi we saw stand on top of the world for Argentina last month. He was creative, every touch was mesmerising, and the 35-year-old even had the goalscoring touch needed inside the box.
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His boss Christophe Galtier was certainly delighted to have him back. "We saw, surely the best player in the world again. He was anxious to play, he prepared well and obviously when Leo is on the pitch, things change a lot. He's calmer, having won the trophy that he was missing."
Messi, who turns 36 this summer, still needs to decide where his future lies. He looks likely to sign a new one-year deal at PSG, as his family are reportedly now settled having moved from Barcelona 18 months ago. It’s also a decision that could make financial sense for both parties. Messi will get another big contract, while PSG will reap the sponsorship rewards.
El Economista estimated that the club's revenues increased by around 700 million euros in Messi’s first season. They earned 10 new sponsors, and deals to be associated with the club almost doubled in price. The Argentine has already paid for himself 10 times over
On the pitch, this deal will see him continue to play at the top level, and in the Champions League, something that shouldn’t be overlooked. PSG may boast a star-studded and richly assembled squad, but the Parisians winning Europe’s biggest prize for the first time is also a primary objective for Messi. He’s also now just 11 goals behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s Champions League record of 140 and that number will be in the back of his mind, given that the Portuguese superstar can no longer add to that tally.
Ronaldo’s mega-money contract at Al Nassr will have also caught the eye of the Argentine. Just 13 days after Messi lifted the World Cup, Ronaldo signed a deal worth $200m a year to play in Saudi Arabia, something he had previously said ‘didn’t interest him’. But Messi wouldn’t have been bothered by the massive sums of money on the contract.
Instead the reaction to his move will have caught his attention. It was, on the whole, derisory. Ronaldo had claimed he would play for Europe’s top clubs as long as possible and yet here he was moving to Saudi Arabia. Messi has close links with the country and is their tourism ambassador, but even he would have been taken back by the reaction.
Ronaldo is two years older than Messi and his longevity has been impressive, but Messi doesn’t want to sign his career off in the same way. Not yet, anyway. He’d been touted for a move to David Beckham’s Inter Miami to end his career in the sun, but this winter showed he still has far more to give. He might even still be the best in the world, as Galtier suggests.
To see him go to MLS this summer would feel like a complete waste. But Ronaldo has also taught his old rival a thing or two. Manchester United put him on a two-year deal on huge money at the age of 36. But 18 months in, things had gone so badly they had to cancel his contract.
Taking one-year deals at PSG, and making his mind up on his next move every summer, is a far more sensible route for sustained success at the highest level for Messi. He can have a crack at winning the Champions League every 12 months, and score goals in Europe’s premier competition.
As romantic as the move back to Barcelona feels, it doesn’t seem right at this moment in time. They are way off competing for the big prizes and are now playing in the Europa League rather than the Champions League for the second spring in succession. But that doesn’t mean his story at his long-time home is finished, or that his time in Europe will finish at the same point Ronaldo’s did.
His style of play and his majesty on the ball rather than reliance on physical attributes could theoretically see him play a deeper role for years to come - if he has the desire to. He won’t lose his touch, his wondrous passing ability or his eye for goal, even if his running power fades away.
In the summer of 2024, Messi will turn 37. If he signs for one more year at PSG, depending on his performances, they may be interested in another 12 months on top of that, especially if Kylian Mbappe has moved on. However, Barcelona may be ready to compete again by that time and a homecoming for the Argentine may make more sense.
Either option will see him stay at the top level for longer than Ronaldo did, something few people saw coming a couple of years ago. The World Cup, combined with the Portuguese’s Saudi move, has settled the debate on who is the greatest of this generation. Now it’s just a question of how long Messi can stay at the very top of the sport.
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