Lionel Messi's villainous streak appears to have come more naturally to him than many imagined. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he was seen angrily pointing in Louis van Gaal's face after Argentina knocked the Netherlands out of the tournament and calling Wout Weghorst a "dummy" in a post-match interview, while he provoked Robert Lewandowski and went chest to chest with the Pole, who was only trying to steal the ball from him, during a group stage encounter. Messi became the hero his people needed in Qatar, seemingly summoning the spirt of the late Diego Maradona, and has continued to ruffle feathers in France with a recent trip to Saudi Arabia. Soccer Laduma's Kurt Buckerfield brings you closer to the action.
A Supressed Darker Side?
Like most, if not all, great winners, Lionel Messi has a side to him he has often needed to supress. There were moments early on in his childhood that foreshadowed what was to come. He didn't like not getting his way and would, as a kid unable to control his emotions, lash out at the people around him when he was denied something he wanted. At Barcelona, he displayed snippets of this. He once defiantly drank a can of Coke in front of Pep Guardiola and his teammates after reportedly being told by the coach that players in the first team couldn't drink Coke. Another time, he didn't show up to a training session under Luis Enrique after the then-Blaugrana boss benched him for a LaLiga match. Beneath the humility he has often been praised for, Messi is difficult to please and there is an argument that, without that kind of ego, he wouldn't have been driven to achieve the success he has achieved in his trophy-laden career. As Messi gets older, it seems more and more that he is going to do things his way, despite the threat that some decisions may have for his reputation.
Messi's Deal With Saudi Arabia
In May last year, the Argentine was unveiled as a Saudi Arabia tourism ambassador in a deal worth millions. Messi will essentially, as part of the contract, help promote tourism in the Middle Eastern country as the Saudis prepare to launch a bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. This relationship has been viewed as a controversial one for a number of reasons, particularly as Argentina and Uruguay are believed to be hoping to jointly host the tournament and because of the concerns over the nation's alleged human rights abuses, a situation that has led to human rights organisations publicly appealing for Messi to not risk tarnishing his reputation by furthering his relationship with the country. As part of his ambassadorial agreement, the 35-year-old will need to fulfil certain duties, duties that will include him travelling to the country and being pictured taking part in touristy activities. Many won't understand Messi accepting the partnership proposal as he has earned enough money as a player alone to last him a few lifetimes, but it isn't uncommon for a footballer to be attracted to high-paying deals that they and their families will benefit from. Still, however, he has faced serious scrutiny and an even bigger spotlight was shone on his agreement with the Saudis last week after he skipped a training session to fly out to the Middle East with his family, a trip Messi has since apologised for and insisted he couldn't again delay, suggesting the Argentine is under pressure to contractually fulfil his obligations.
Skipping Training For A Family Vacation
Following PSG's 3-1 loss at home to Lorient in Ligue 1 last week Sunday, reports claimed that head coach Christophe Galtier decided to cancel his players' expected day off for Monday. Messi was said to be under the impression that he and his teammates would be given the Monday to rest, and therefore used it as an opportunity to head out to Saudi Arabia with his loved ones. Later, however, it emerged that the trip was unauthorised by PSG, with some reports even stating that Messi was denied permission but went anyway. The club subsequently decided they would suspend him for two weeks, leaving Messi with just three matches to play before the 2022/23 season is concluded once he returns to first team training. This, on top of the fan protests against the World Cup winner in the aftermath of some underwhelming performances and his controversial vacation during a difficult moment for the team, seems to almost ensure that his time in Paris will finish when his current deal at the club expires. Messi is tipped to return to Barcelona as a free agent in June, although the Spanish side's well documented financial problems lead many to believe that the soon-to-be 36-year-old could be tempted by Al Hilal's apparent offer that would see him overtake Cristiano Ronaldo as the sport's highest-paid player in the world and of all time.
Turbulent At Club Level, The Best It Has Ever Been For Argentina
Strangely, for Messi, the most unsettling period of his club career coincides with heights not even Diego Maradona reached with Argentina – winning two major trophies on the international stage in two years and bringing up a remarkable century of goals for his country. Messi was forced to leave Barcelona against his will in 2021 due to the Blaugrana's aforementioned economic issues and joined PSG, where, no matter how hard he seemed to be trying, he just could not find his feet. His debut season in Paris was deemed a total failure by all who observed it, in a league considered by most football fans as the weakest of Europe's top five divisions. Then, following an excellent World Cup campaign, during which he contributed to 10 goals in seven games and secured his status as arguably the greatest footballer in history, Messi returned to PSG after an extended holiday with form that was different from when he left for Qatar, at least in the eyes of the club's ultras. The Argentine has played a hand in 13 goals in 15 games in Ligue 1 since the league resumed after the World Cup break, but his performances in the team's two UEFA Champions League Round of 16 encounters against Bayern Munich in February, a tie PSG lost 3-0 on aggregate, seemed to tip supporters over the edge. Many want him gone, and many hope PSG will use his unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia as a chance to justify letting him go, but Messi has still shown he is capable of achieving greatness at the highest level. It seems he is perhaps just more selective when choosing his moments.
