Messi Vs PSG: Is This Club World Cup Showdown Inter Miami Star's Shot At Closure?

Football, with all its unpredictable twists, has once again delivered a story worthy of cinema: Lionel Messi, now the talisman of Inter Miami, will face off against his former club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the last 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday.

It's a fixture steeped in emotion and meaning. For Messi, it's a chance to revisit the club he joined after his tearful exit from Barcelona. For fans, it's a high-stakes reunion-full of nostalgia, drama, and the possibility of poetic redemption.

Inter Miami secured their place in the knockouts after a dramatic 2-2 draw against Palmeiras, enough to finish second in Group A. The result paired them with PSG, who topped their group after defeating Seattle Sounders 2-0.

🤩 @PSG_inside will face @InterMiamiCF in the #FIFACWC Round of 16 at Mercedes Benz Stadium! 🤩

- FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 24, 2025

Inter Miami are #FIFACWC Round of 16 bound! 🌟 twitter/Bd2svE3zik

- FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 24, 2025

From Parisian Promise to Miami Sunrise: Messi's PSG Journey

When Messi joined PSG in the summer of 2021, the football world stood still. The images of him holding the number 30 shirt at Parc des Princes flooded timelines and front pages alike. After over two decades at Barcelona, his move to Paris was more than a transfer-it was the end of an era and the start of a high-profile, high-pressure chapter.

While his stint in Paris brought flashes of brilliance, it was also marked by injuries, adjustment challenges, and the looming pressure of expectations. Messi's partnership with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe was electric at times but lacked the cohesion fans had dreamed of. Although he helped PSG to back-to-back Ligue 1 titles, Champions League glory remained elusive.

In the summer of 2023, after his contract ran out and murmurs of discontent behind the scenes grew louder, Messi made a decision that stunned the footballing elite again-he chose to join Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

Many questioned the move. Was it a retirement tour? A brand-building exercise? But Messi had other ideas.

A Miami Masterstroke: Messi's American Dream

Joining up with former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and later Luis Suarez, Messi spearheaded what can only be described as a footballing revolution in the United States. Under the guidance of Javier Mascherano-another ex-Barca teammate-Miami became more than just a marketing phenomenon. They became a serious football team.

Their Club World Cup campaign so far has shocked many. A surprise win over Porto, followed by the draw against Palmeiras, ensured their place among the last 16 of the tournament. Suarez and Tadeo Allende's goals against Palmeiras had Miami in control before a late comeback from the Brazilian side saw the game end 2-2.

Yet the real drama lies ahead. The prize for Miami? A clash with Messi's old club.

It went down to the wire in Group A. 👀#FIFACWC

- FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 24, 2025

Old Friends, New Battles: Familiar Faces on Both Sides

For Jordi Alba, the upcoming fixture is one filled with layered emotions.

“We're talking about the champions of Europe. We know many of their players and their coach, who I was lucky enough to have coach me, and I've always said he is the best in the world,” Alba said, referring to PSG boss Luis Enrique.

“I will connect with good friends there but once the game starts, we will compete, try to beat them, and why can't we do it? This is football.”

Luis Enrique coached much of the current Miami core-Messi, Suarez, Busquets, Alba-during Barcelona's golden treble-winning season in 2015. Their familiarity could create not just fireworks, but a fascinating tactical battle.

Javier Mascherano, the Miami coach, was full of praise for his side after their qualification.

“It's a historic night for MLS, because we are into the best 16 teams in the world. All of the MLS has to be proud of Inter Miami,” he said.

👋 See you in the Round of 16, @LuisSuarez9!@InterMiamiCF | #FIFACWC twitter/BtScM1FUVQ

- FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 24, 2025

PSG March On, But Messi Looms Large

On the other end, PSG advanced from their group despite an early setback against Botafogo. They recovered with a strong 2-0 win over Seattle, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi on target.

Coach Luis Enrique acknowledged the challenges of adapting to new conditions during the tournament.

“It wasn't easy because the pitch was very different to what we are used to in Europe so we couldn't play with the fluidity that we like, but we adapted,” he said.

Notably, PSG's top scorer Ousmane Dembele has not featured in the tournament due to injury, raising questions about how much firepower they'll bring to the clash with Miami.

A Clash of Chapters: Will Messi Find Closure Against PSG?

For Messi, this match is not just a test of talent-it's a confrontation with the past. His departure from PSG was quiet, without the fairy-tale farewell fans might have expected. Criticism, a sense of being underappreciated, and the weight of the Champions League failures all hung over his final days in Paris.

Now, wearing pink in Miami's colours, he returns on the world's stage not as a fading star, but as the heartbeat of a team that has dared to dream.

Can Messi lead Inter Miami to an upset over PSG and find the redemption arc fans have longed for? Will the familiarity of faces and tactics work in his favour-or prove his undoing?

One thing is certain: when Messi steps onto the pitch against PSG, the world will be watching. Not for the first time. But perhaps, for one of the last times, with everything on the line.

And as Alba said-“Why can't we do it? This is football.”

MENAFN24062025007385015968ID1109715360