As Inter Miami prepare for their Club World Cup last-16 showdown with Paris Saint-Germain, all eyes are on Lionel Messi as he gears up to face a familiar foe. The Argentine legend is set for a headline reunion with his former club, who he both played for and battled against during his iconic European career.
Messi was instrumental in helping Inter Miami advance from Group A, scoring a sensational free kick against Porto that secured second place behind Palmeiras. The Major League Soccer side remain unbeaten in the 2025 edition of the reimagined summer tournament.
On the other side, PSG topped Group B despite a shock loss to Botafogo, setting up a blockbuster clash with Inter Miami and their talisman Messi—who knows Les Parisiens well.
Lionel Messi’s Record vs PSG:
- Games Played: 10
- Wins: 4
- Draws: 3
- Losses: 3
- Goals: 6
- Assists: 1
Messi’s encounters with PSG all came during his time with Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. Their rivalry dates back to the 2012-13 quarter-finals, where Messi scored in the first leg (2-2 draw) and helped his side advance on away goals after a 1-1 draw in the return leg.
In the 2014-15 season, Messi found the net in both group-stage meetings as Barcelona clashed with PSG once again. He also assisted Neymar in a crucial 3-1 first-leg win during their quarter-final tie, as Barça progressed 5-1 on aggregate en route to lifting the Champions League trophy.
The famous remontada in 2016-17 saw Messi score the third of Barcelona’s six goals in their unforgettable 6-1 win at Camp Nou, overturning a 4-0 first-leg deficit and eliminating PSG in historic fashion.
Messi’s final battles with PSG as a Barcelona player came in the COVID-impacted 2020-21 season. He scored in both legs of the last-16 matchup, but it wasn’t enough—Barcelona lost 4-1 at home to a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick and could only manage a 1-1 draw in the return leg, sealing their exit.
Twelve years after their first clash, Messi meets PSG again—but this time wearing Inter Miami pink, not Barcelona blue or PSG navy. The reunion is filled with personal and professional history, and as ever, Messi will be central to the story.