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Paris Saint-Germain were crowned French champions for the second consecutive time and ninth in the last 11 years on Saturday after their 1-1 away win against Strasbourg, and although he is the most maligned player in the City of Light team to date, this achievement has set another incredible record.
It was the 43rd team title of Messi's career, equalling his former Barcelona team-mate Dani Alves as the club's all-time club title holder. Five more titles were for the Brazilian, who is currently suspected of rape and is serving time in prison for it, when Messi was introduced as a PSG player in August 2021. Since then, the Argentine has lifted five more trophies: the World Cup in Qatar, the finalissima against Italy, the French Supercup and twice the French league.
Messi, who scored his team's only goal tonight, also became the top scorer in the history of Europe's top five leagues with 496 in total, one more than his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
In addition, the flea shares a tremendous achievement that PSG completed tonight, when it became the record holder of the French football championship with 11 wins, overtaking Saint-Etienne, who are now in the second division and whose last title was in 1981, when the coffin of the team from the capital was empty of championship trophies.
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Are Paris Saint-Germain fans going against him? He continues to break records. Lionel Messi (Photo by Getty Images, ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP)
Messi, who leads the French scoring chart, hopes to break the league record in a single season set by his good Argentina teammate Ex Angel Di Maria with 18 assists in 2015/16, while currently standing at 16 this season in the French league and 20 in all competitions. If he does, the French league will become the seventh time Messi has finished as the top assist scorer of his career, after the Spanish league, Copa del Rey, Champions League, World Cup, Copa America and Club World Cup. The Flea is also the only player this season in Europe to score at least 20 goals and cook at least 20.
Now, in light of Messi's expected departure from PSG, it remains to be seen which team will continue his phenomenal career, which turns 36 next month. Barcelona are waiting for his comeback with open arms, Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal is willing to pay huge sums to land him and revive the rivalry with Ronaldo in the domestic league, and Inter Miami fantasizes about seeing Messi juggle the media in MLS. Where will the flea look for the title that will make him the sole record holder in football history?
- sport
- World Football
- French League
Tags
- Lionel Messi
- Paris Saint-Germain
