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Lionel Messi left his boyhood club Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain amid much fanfare last summer. He had just guided Argentina to Copa America glory and was expected to transform PSG into a juggernaut. However, things haven't really panned out the way Messi and PSG fans would have wanted.
Lionel Messi failed to hit the ground running in Ligue 1
Messi struggled for form in his early days in Ligue 1. The 34-year-old was widely tipped to take the French top-flight by storm but he has not been anywhere near his best. While Messi's playmaking abilities have been put on display, he has struggled to score goals.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has scored just three goals and provided 13 assists in 21 appearances in Ligue 1 so far this term. Suffice to say, several Ligue 1 stars have been able to outperform the legendary Argentinian.
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Without further ado, let's take a look at five players who have had a better season than Messi in Ligue 1.
#5 Neymar Jr. (Paris Saint-Germain)
Neymar Jr. seemed set to have a rather forgettable season as he struggled with injuries and form. The Brazilian international was sidelined for two-and-a-half months with an ankle injury and missed about a dozen games between November and February.
Since returning to action in February, he could only offer glimpses of his genius at first. But he has since settled down properly and has been in sublime form of late. In his last five Ligue 1 appearances, Neymar has scored seven goals and provided an assist.
In total, he has 11 goals and four assists in just 18 league appearances this term.
#4 Gaetan Laborde (Rennes)
Gaetan Laborde started the 2021-22 season as a Montpellier player. But he was signed by Rennes in late August in a deal worth €18 million + add-ons. For that price, Laborde has proven to be quite a bargain. His performances have been crucial to Rennes sitting third in the Ligue 1 table right now.
The 27-year-old is an excellent finisher and a tireless worker as well. He is pretty adept with the ball at his feet and is also an aerial threat. The left-footed forward had scored three goals in four Ligue 1 games for Montpellier this season before joining Rennes.
in 28 Ligue 1 appearances for Rennes this term, he has scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.
#3 Wissam Ben Yedder (AS Monaco)
Wissam Ben Yedder continues to surprise everyone with his talent and he has been in spectacular form for AS Monaco this season. He has been an assured presence in the final third for Philippe Clement's side and is currently the second highest goalscorer in the league.
The 31-year-old has scored 19 goals and provided four assists in 31 Ligue 1 appearances so far this term. He has made a strong case for himself to be included in France's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
#2 Dimitri Payet (Olympique Marseille)
Dimitri Payet is 35 now but he continues to be one of the most creative and graceful midfielders in Europe. The Frenchman's exquisite technique and elegance have always earned him a lot of praise, but he wasn't expected to be this influential for Marseille in the ongoing season.
Payet is one of the most technically gifted footballers of his generation. Whether it be navigating cul-de-sacs or unleashing an outside-of-the-boot curler into the top bin, Payet does it all with ease and grace.
He has scored 10 goals and provided nine assists in 28 Ligue 1 appearances for Marseille so far this season.
#1 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Kylian Mbappe has been the best player in Ligue 1 by quite some distance. The 23-year-old has been up to his usual tricks but has looked more confident than ever. He is quite often the difference maker for Paris Saint-Germain and is currently sitting atop the goalscoring and assists chart in Ligue 1.
Mbappe's pace, trickery, link-up play and finishing have all been exemplary this term. He has scored a whopping 21 goals and has provided 14 assists in 29 Ligue 1 appearances so far this season.
As things stand, Mbappe will become a free-agent at the end of the season. If he does end up leaving PSG this summer, it will be a huge loss for the Ligue 1 giants as Mbappe is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world right now.
Messi's playmaking has definitely aided Mbappe this season but the latter has outshone the former by far.
