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News18
43 minutes ago
- Sport
- News18
'Gave Up Our Vacations To Play': Raphinha Slams FIFA For Flawed Club World Cup Scheduling
Last Updated: Barcelona and Brazil's Raphinha criticized the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, stressing players weren't consulted and are forced to sacrifice vacations. Barcelona and Brazil forward Raphinha has expressed frustration over players not being consulted about the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, saying no one should be forced to sacrifice their vacation. The new-format tournament began on June 14 and runs until July 13, following a packed schedule that included the end of the European club season in late May and an international window in early June. 'Speaking particularly as someone who plays for a European team, we would (currently) be on vacation," Raphinha said. 'Marquinhos and Beraldo, from Paris Saint-Germain, won the Champions League and didn't even get to celebrate properly. They came to the national team and then went to the Club World Cup. They still haven't stopped." He noted that players' need for rest is often dismissed. 'Many say that this is an excuse. It may or may not be, but having to give up our vacations out of obligation is very complicated. It's our right. Everyone deserves at least a month of vacation. And many of them won't get it." With major European leagues restarting by mid-August and pre-seasons kicking off earlier that month, Raphinha emphasized the demanding schedule. 'If PSG reach the Club World Cup final, they will have the Super Cup right away. It doesn't stop," he said. 'It depends on your point of view. From my point of view, it's very bad to give up your vacation to play something that you are forced to do. At no point did they ask the players if they wanted to. 'It (should be) up to us to accept it. Having to give up your vacation to play in a new tournament is very complicated." Paris Saint-Germain are scheduled to play Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13, just a month after the Club World Cup concludes. (with Reuters inputs) First Published: June 28, 2025, 10:24 IST
The National
an hour ago
- Sport
- The National
Lionel Messi and Barca old boys face Club World Cup test against former coach Luis Enrique's PSG
For someone about to celebrate their birthday and whose team had just qualified for the knockout stages of the Fifa Club World Cup, it was a visibly frustrated Lionel Messi after the final whistle at Hard Rock Stadium. Inter Miami had been cruising at 2-0 up against Palmeiras with 10 minutes to go, only for the Brazilians to grab two late goals to snatch a point and deny the MLS side all three points. More importantly, it meant Miami had missed out on top spot in Group A, and that instead of taking on another Brazilian side in Botafogo in the last 16, it would be newly crowned Uefa Champions League winners – and Messi's former club – Paris Saint-Germain up next. It had been vintage Messi – who turned 38 on Tuesday - in their previous game when the World Cup winner, and eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, had curled home a trademark free-kick to secure victory over Porto, after Miami opened the tournament with a disappointing goalless draw with Al Ahly. Beating the Portuguese outfit meant Miami had created history by becoming the first Concacaf team to defeat a European side in an official Fifa tournament, but repeating the trick against the might of PSG is a far trickier prospect. 'If we make these mistakes against PSG we will pay a heavy price,' admitted Luis Suarez, who scored a brilliant second goal against Palmeiras and won the player-of-the-match award. Messi joined Miami in the summer of 2023 after leaving Paris following a difficult spell which had ended with a fractured relationship between the player and PSG fans. The Argentine had scored 32 goals and assisted in a further 35 in 75 games, while also helping PSG win the Ligue 1 title in both his seasons spent in Paris between 2021 and 2023. But in a team of galactico signings – that also included the likes of Sergio Ramos, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe – PSG's failure to make it beyond the Champions League last 16 meant the Messi era was considered a failure. The fact that Messi was also suspended for two weeks by the club for an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia – for which he later apologised – only added to the tensions. 'I went through two years which I didn't enjoy,' recalled Messi in an interview earlier this year. 'I wasn't happy on a daily basis, with the training, the matches. I had a hard time adapting to all that.' Miami coach Javier Mascherano is confident his former Barcelona and Argentina teammate can channel those memories into helping his current side produce what would be a major shock in the US. 'It's clear that it would better for us if he was angry, because he's one of those players who, when he has something in mind, gives a bit extra,' Mascherano told ESPN. 'In the end, what Leo wants is to win games, like the great player that he is,' added Miami teammate Jordi Alba. 'He was there for two years and only he knows what happened.' Adding to the intrigue of Sunday's game in Atlanta (kicking off 11pm UAE time) is the fact PSG are managed by former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique. Barca boys turned Miami men Macherano, Alba, Messi, Suarez and Sergio Busquets were all part of Luis Enrique's 2015 team that secured the Catalan giants a memorable treble – a feat the Spaniard has just repeated with PSG. And the respect they have for their old manager is clear. 'I've said it infinite times: For me, he's the best – I think not just as a coach, but also how he manages the group,' said left-back Alba. 'He's a phenomenon. I'm excited to see him, as well as his entire staff. I'll give him a hug but when the ref blows the opening whistle, try to beat him.' 'He's a coach who influenced me greatly,' added striker Suarez. 'I already had a competitive DNA, but he injected even more into me.' Luis Enrique's stock has never been higher following their magnificent 5-0 demolition job over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, although there have been bumps in road as they hunt a quadruple. The Parisians started their Group B fixtures with a 4-0 thrashing of Atletico Madrid only to then fall to a shock loss to Botafogo before defeating Seattle Sounders and clinching a last-16 clash with Miami. 'Our coach is incredible,' Portuguese midfielder Joao Neves told after the Seattle win. 'He gives us confidence, he gives us freedom, but with responsibility. Possession is what matters most. 'He wants us to have the ball and make the other team run. And when we don't have it, we have to get it back quickly. It doesn't matter who the opposing team is, it's always the same: it's eleven against eleven. We all attack, we all defend.' The exit of Mbappe last summer marked the end of an era at PSG, with Luis Enrique putting his faith in hungry young players rather than big-name signings. That is not to say PSG have stopped spending money, far from it, but they are now investing in younger talent. Arrivals over the past 12 months include Neves for €60 million, forward Desire Doue for €59m – both aged 20 – while €70m was forked out in January for 24-year-old winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. 'I've never said I don't want stars, I want a team full of good players,' insists Luis Enrique. 'We don't want players who come and act like they're doing us some kind of favour. 'It should be just the opposite: we want players who are hungry, who want to come to a one-of-a-kind club like PSG, to a one-of-a-kind city and a one-of-a-kind country, players who want to write their names in the club's history books.'
Japan Times
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
From Messi to Auckland City, magic shining through Club World Cup issues
The Club World Cup's various problems have been well documented, from empty seats to storm delays, extreme heat to complaints about FIFA's expanded competition being a cash grab at the expense of the players' long-term health. However, with the right ingredients slow-cooking in the United States summer sun, there has also been plenty to enjoy about the tournament so far. Several stars are getting their encore moments, including Inter Miami's cast of aging former Barcelona greats, led by Lionel Messi. Now 38, Messi helped the Major League Soccer side make the last 16 against the odds, which coach Javier Mascherano said was "historic." Messi's mere presence still provokes intense reactions, including from a young boy in an Argentina shirt at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in tears before the new NBA-style walkouts, overcome at the prospect of seeing his hero live. He delivered, too, whipping a superb free kick into the top corner to earn Miami a shock victory over Porto. "I'm a Messi fan, he's still one of the best players in the world — that Porto game we weren't supposed to win," said Yemi Obono, a 34-year-old tech product manager who lives in Atlanta. He and many others will get another chance to see the forward when Inter Miami faces European champion Paris Saint-Germain in Georgia again this weekend in the last 16. "(Watching Messi) was like a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. ... I hope I can go on Sunday and see him again," added Obono. "I'm happy — at first I wasn't happy we came second (in the group)." Messi's reunion with PSG is one of many narratives to catch the eye. With clubs taking the competition seriously, not least because of the total of $1 billion in prize money on offer, these matches feel legitimate, unlike preseason friendly tours. "I'm pretty sure for the South American teams, for the Brazilian teams, for Argentinian teams, this competition is maybe the maximum," said Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, who hailed the passion of the South American fans in particular. "People are surprised (when) European teams lose," added Guardiola. "Welcome to the real world my friends." Botafogo stunned PSG in the group stage with a 1-0 win, Chelsea suffered a stinging 3-1 defeat by another Brazilian side in Flamengo, and Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid was eliminated early. The group stage has offered some of the tension the revamped first round of the UEFA Champions League lacked. The Club World Cup has also offered a first look at Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid project, and new signings like Los Blancos duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, Chelsea's Liam Delap and several Manchester City arrivals. Coaches including Bayern's Vincent Kompany have appreciated the extra time they have to work in depth with players, swallowed up in the season by recovery sessions amid the packed calendar. The tournament has been an opportunity to celebrate teams who rarely get to enjoy the global spotlight. While some mocked New Zealand amateur side Auckland City after its opening 10-0 defeat by Bayern Munich, it highlighted how impressive the 1-1 draw against Boca Juniors was in the club's final game. "We're representing 99% of club teams in world football who are amateurs ... we all have day jobs," said vice captain Adam Mitchell. Fans of J. League side Urawa Reds went toe-to-toe with their River Plate counterparts in creating a superb atmosphere, which is no mean feat. Although River and Argentine rivals Boca were eliminated, their passionate supporters helped bring the tournament to life. Even if stadiums are not full, the fans who are there are bringing the noise — and the average attendance is higher than for La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 last season. Brazilian clubs have flexed their muscles, with all four reaching the last 16, surprising those who thought the gap to Europe's elite was too great. With the likes of PSG, City, Real and Bayern looking to go deep, some impending blockbuster clashes may yet win over those resistant to the spectacle. The Club World Cup is a tournament in its infancy, with room to improve, but is already showing it has more heart than some expected.
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
PSG Club World Cup reunion with Messi recalls unhappier times
'He seemed to have as much desire to play in Ligue 1 as he did to go to the dentist,' wrote journalist Vincent Duluc. Could Inter Miami's Lionel Messi come back to haunt PSG in the Club World Cup last 16? Picture: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP Paris Saint-Germain have come to the Club World Cup as newly crowned champions of Europe, but a meeting with the Inter Miami of Lionel Messi in the last 16 this Sunday brings back memories of unhappier times for the French club. PSG's stunning 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in Munich at the end of last month which allowed them to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time completed an incredible season for the Qatar-backed side under the coaching of Luis Enrique. Champions League glory without Messi It is no coincidence that PSG achieved their crowning glory in their first season after definitively shifting their focus away from signing superstar players to instead allow a brilliant coach to work with a hungry, dynamic young team. Kylian Mbappe's move a year ago to Real Madrid followed the departures in 2023 of Neymar, the world's most expensive signing when he joined in 2017, and Messi, in the same summer Luis Enrique was appointed. When PSG pounced in August 2021 to sign Messi after a cash-strapped Barcelona were unable to keep him, the French side logically thought the Argentinian could be the man to deliver elusive Champions League glory. Messi, who was 34 at the time, thought the same thing. 'My dream is to win another Champions League and I think I am in the ideal place to have that chance and to do it,' he said at his unveiling. Alas, it did not work out that way, either in Messi's first season in Paris, under compatriot Mauricio Pochettino in 2021/22, or in the next campaign under Christophe Galtier. PSG had got to the Champions League final and then semi-finals in the two seasons prior to Messi's arrival, so he looked like the final piece in the jigsaw. Instead they went backwards with him in the side, going out of Europe's elite club competition in the last 16 two years running. Only flashes of genius Having to fit in Messi — with his estimated annual salary of 30 million euros ($35.2 million) after tax — as well as Neymar and Mbappe may have increased the star appeal, but it weakened them as a team. Towards the end the Barcelona legend was even being jeered by some sections of the PSG support who felt Messi's commitment to the cause was not what it should have been. Messi was a PSG player when he inspired Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in late 2022, but there were only flashes of his genius at club level in France. His statistics stand up to any scrutiny, with 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 appearances, and he did win two Ligue 1 titles while helping increase PSG's value as a brand. But one memorable quote by a columnist in French sports daily L'Equipe rather summed things up. 'PSG have not been better than they were before because of him…and he seemed to have as much desire to play in Ligue 1 as he did to go to the dentist,' wrote Vincent Duluc. Fast forward two years and Messi is enjoying the twilight of his career in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, the team he has helped to qualify for the knockout stage of this Club World Cup. Fate has therefore thrown up a last-16 showdown with PSG on Sunday in Atlanta, at the same stadium where he scored a marvellous free-kick to secure a 2-1 win over Porto last week. 'All is not forgiven' 'All is not forgiven', said the front page of L'Equipe in France on Friday as it described the feelings of 'failure and bitterness' left behind from the Argentine's spell there. Miami coach Javier Mascherano, meanwhile, believes the unhappy memory of his time in Paris could spur Messi on. 'It's clear that for us it's better if he plays angry, because he's one of those players who, when he has something on his mind, gives an extra effort,' Mascherano told ESPN. With Luis Enrique and PSG boasting big ambitions of adding a world title to their European crown, there would be even more bitterness felt if Messi – days after his 38th birthday – managed to knock them out on Sunday.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
The legacy of Lionel Messi's underwhelming time as a Paris Saint-Germain player
May 2023 proved to be a watershed month for Paris Saint-Germain. Up to that point, the French giants' sporting project seemed to be faltering, certainly in relation to their ultimate goal of lifting the Champions League. Serial winners domestically, PSG had reached the point where only success in Europe's premier club competition could bring them the validation they craved. Advertisement The problem they had was that nothing they did seemed to bring them closer. Even the signing of one of the world's greatest players in Lionel Messi, who joined on a free transfer in August 2021, had not sufficiently moved the dial. If anything, adding the Argentinian to a front line already containing fellow stars Kylian Mbappe and Neymar only served to create additional layers of complexity and dysfunction. Two years on, they are finally European champions thanks to a 5-0 rout of Inter in Munich last month. A vibrant, youthful side managed by the wily Luis Enrique and spearheaded by a revived Ousmane Dembele seems primed for further success. Yet there is a recognition at PSG that none of this would have been possible without the cultural reset that happened at the end of that 2022-23 campaign. The key moment in PSG's journey to becoming European champions came immediately after the abject 3-1 defeat to Lorient and had Messi at its centre. The Argentinian featured heavily in the game, completing the full 90 minutes, but did not report with his team-mates for training the following morning. Instead, he flew to the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh to engage in ambassadorial duties for the wealthy Gulf nation. Messi's unauthorised absence was problematic on many levels. In a sporting sense, it was seen by the PSG hierarchy as another sign that key players were putting their own interests above those of the club. The Argentinian's camp has always maintained that they gave PSG enough warning of his absence, but that too was a source of contention. There was also the fact that he had travelled to a country, Saudi Arabia, that has often had a fractious relationship with Qatar, the home of PSG's owner, Qatari Sports Investments (QSI). Messi was handed a two-week suspension and docked pay. It was a tough, risky stance, but it laid the groundwork for what was to follow. Advertisement The French club has always maintained that the issue was sporting rather than geopolitical, and that it was a moment in which QSI realised something urgently needed to change. The message now is that no player is bigger than the collective. Messi left at the end of that season, his contract allowed to expire, while Neymar also departed. Mbappe, the final member of the trio, signed for Real Madrid last summer. Messi never really settled in Paris. His departure from Barcelona, the club where he had made his name, was abrupt and emotional. When it became apparent he had to leave, he held a farewell press conference in which he broke down in tears. In hindsight, it seemed to be an indicator that all was not well. News of the Argentinian's availability sparked a scramble involving most of the world's biggest and richest clubs. PSG's arrival in the race was opportunistic. A deal was agreed for Messi to join on a salary of €25million (£21m; $29m) per year, considerably lower than his reported €110m annual salary in Catalonia. But Barcelona was Messi's club in a way PSG could never be. Where he was the undisputed star at the Camp Nou, with accommodations made for his quirks and foibles, most around PSG felt Mbappe ruled the roost in the French capital. The acclimatisation to a new country, city and style of play was not easy. 'Those two years (in Paris) were not enjoyable,' he later told Apple Music. In a separate interview with beIN, he added that it had been 'difficult to adapt to the city', while also pointing to his difficult relationship with sections of the PSG fanbase. He was subjected to boos from the stands after he failed to help them win the Champions League. While relationships — particularly those with elements of the fanbase — were fractured by the time of Messi's departure in the summer of 2025, sources close to the French club — who will remain anonymous to protect relationships — maintain there are no regrets over his signing. Advertisement Off the field, he played a major role in the growth of PSG's global brand. He is estimated to have made them about €10m in direct revenue. Even before he had officially signed, the club made around €8m after a spike in their cryptocurrency portfolio. Within weeks of his arrival, PSG added two partners, Christian Dior and for a combined €25m. There were record shirt sales, South American partnerships grew, and at least eight new territories signed TV deals. There is an acceptance that, somewhat unfairly, on the pitch, Messi's time at the Parc des Princes will be defined by the failure to lead PSG to Champions League glory. He remained incredibly productive but did not quite reach the heights of his time at Barcelona — 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 PSG games still represents a significant haul, but it is dwarfed by his total of 975 goal involvements in 778 games at the Camp Nou. Messi helped PSG to domestic success, but he was not the game-changer in Europe that they hoped he would be. There is an admission now that PSG's cultural overhaul could have come earlier. Yet Messi's trip to Saudi in 2023 came to be seen as the straw that broke the camel's back internally; the much-needed catalyst for change. Time appears to have healed previously strained relationships. PSG are European champions, Messi is settled in Miami, and recent exchanges between him and chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi have been more positive. All parties appear to have moved on. In public and in private, Al-Khelaifi and the club have stressed the importance of that chapter in PSG's development and thanked Messi for his role in their ensuing success. PSG's social media accounts wished their former player a happy birthday this week. The end of the caption read: 'See you Sunday.' This weekend's game between Inter Miami and PSG in Atlanta will be the first time Messi has faced one of his former clubs. All eyes will be on the Mercedes-Benz Arena to see how he fares. Messi has found it much easier to acclimatise to life in Miami. He lives in a quiet part of Fort Lauderdale, away from the glare of the media, and has family nearby. He socialises with his former Barcelona team-mates Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez, and has also been known to spend time with David and Victoria Beckham. Messi was consulted by the Miami hierarchy before the hiring of his ex-Barcelona team-mate Javier Mascherano as head coach last year. His impact on American soccer, both on and off the pitch, has been considerable. Even at 38, he remains capable of taking games away from opponents single-handedly. He was the MLS MVP last year and his arrival has helped Inter Miami top $200m in annual revenues, more than tripling their 2022 top line. The club are now valued at $1billion by Sportico, up 74 per cent on 2022. According to ESPN, Messi's Inter Miami shirt is also the biggest seller in sportswear giant Adidas' portfolio. There is a sense that Messi is increasingly gearing up for life after his playing career. He continues to expand his commercial portfolio and starred in both Apple TV's 2025 Super Bowl commercial and the promotion of the new Bad Boys film. Inter Miami are likely to be Messi's final professional club, with the Argentinian set to take on a co-owner position after retirement. The transition from sporting star to something more transcendent is already well under way. But first, there is some unfinished business in the pink of Miami and a reunion with PSG, the former club who have forged a path to success without him.
