Lionel Messi returned with a goal to a pitch after winning the World Cup with Argentina, in PSG’s tight 2-0 victory against Angers, in the match corresponding to date 18 of Ligue 1.
Messi scored PSG’s second 26 minutes into the plugin, with a wonderful definition with his right foot, in a goal cry that was on hold after the VAR review. The Parisian team quickly took the lead through Frenchman Hugo Ekitike.
Messi definitively established himself on December 18, 2022 when he lifted the World Cup in Qatar, after the victory on penalties against France. His soccer reappearance, after a brief vacation in Rosario, his hometown, took place in the land of the world runners-up.
During that period, Messi celebrated with the Argentines in a massive caravan and spent Christmas and New Year in the Santa Fe town of Funes with his family, in addition to having attended other family parties.
The captain and all-time top scorer, who participated in the tribute to the legendary Pelé in the previous one, did not have a special reception for the feat in the city of Doha, an issue that did arise when he rejoined the squad on January 4.
The fans of Paris Saint Germain chanted his name when the screens of the Parque de los PrÃncipes stadium displayed his image.
With his first goal as world champion, Messi has 13 and 14 assists in the French league, out of 20 games played.
Messi participated in the two cries of PSG. He was the setter in the play that ended in the cross definition of Ekitike, and generated a wall with the Frenchman Nordi Mukiele for 2-0.
In his last 14 games, between the Argentine national team and PSG, the man from Rosario scored the same number of goals.
The number “30” of Paris Saint Germain was the most outstanding player of his team, which had an irregular match against Angers, the last in the French league, which accumulated the tenth defeat in a row.
Messi played accompanied by his friend, the Brazilian Neymar, who scored a goal in the final minutes, assisted by the Rosario, but it was canceled for offside.
The PSG attack was not complete because the scorer Kylian Mbappé, top scorer of Qatar 2022 with 8, was absent, while he enjoys a few more days of leave.
Messi accumulates 8 goals in the French league and is five behind Mbappé (13), and continues in first place in the assists table (10) along with Neymar.
With this triumph, PSG recovered from the loss against Lens and established itself as the leader of Ligue 1 with 47 points. In addition, he took 6 advantage over his immediate rival Lens (40), who drew 2-2 with Strasbourg, as a visitor.
For its part, Olympique de Marseille, with Argentine defender Leonardo Balerdi as the starter, defeated Troyes 2-0, as a visitor. The victory allowed him to assert himself in third place and discount units to Lens.