On June 29, Argentine superstar Messi will face a special match in the round of 16 of the Club World Cup. He will play for the Major League Soccer team Miami International against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, which just won the Champions League.

This duel is not only a confrontation between Miami International and the new king of Europe, but also a head-on collision between Messi and his past experience. Since being forced to leave Barcelona due to financial problems in 2021 , Messi accepted the invitation from Paris and joined PSG , forming a luxurious trident with Neymar and Mbappe, aiming at the Champions League.

However, this luxury combination did not meet expectations at the competitive level, especially in the Champions League, and could not break through the key nodes. At the same time, Messi's relationship with Paris fans became increasingly tense, and he was often booed and criticized on the court, which eventually led to his choice to leave Paris in the summer of 2023 and join Miami International of the Major League Soccer.

Looking back on that experience, Messi also admitted that he was not happy in Paris. Now, coach Mascherano said that experience may be the catalyst that prompted Messi to play well. In an interview with ESPN , he said: " For us, it is actually a good thing for Messi to play with anger . He is the kind of player who performs better when he wants to prove himself more. "

Mascherano also mentioned Messi's " revengeful " personality and historical examples. He said: " This reminds me of the classic battle in 2017, when we lost 0-4 to Paris in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 , but completed an incredible reversal with 6-1 in the second leg . " In that game, not only Messi and Mascherano were present, but also Suarez and Busquets of Miami International. Several comrades-in-arms will fight side by side in the international arena again after many years.

For Miami International, this is not only a battle for a place in the quarterfinals, but also an opportunity to test the team's quality against top teams. Although Paris Saint-Germain has just won the Champions League trophy, they will not dare to take it lightly when facing veterans such as Messi, Suarez and Busquets who are familiar with them.