“It’s all a matter of whether he wants to do it or not” – Pundit offers honest opinion about ‘reinvented’ Lionel Messi’s future at PSG

Former Venezuelan forward Alejandro Moreno has opined that Lionel Messi’s future at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is solely dependent on how the Argentine feels in the French capital. Moreno claimed that the Barcelona legend had earned the right to take a step back and that he could reassess things after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Lionel Messi has been in excellent form for PSG in the 2022-23 campaign, pitching in with 14 goal contributions (6 goals, 8 assists) in 11 games across competitions. With him firing on all cylinders, the Parisians have won 10 of their 11 matches this season, drawing once.

Although the player is seemingly enjoying himself right now, Moreno claimed that he could reassess his priorities after the World Cup. Commenting on the no. 30’s future in the French capital, Moreno said on ESPN:

“It depends on how Messi feels. If he's having a good time, he's enjoying himself. He's scoring goals, they're winning games. There are worse places to be and so I think Messi has earned the right at this point in his career to just kind of take a step back, see what happens in the World Cup as well. See where his motivation is and what he wants to do with his career.

“What he has done very well with PSG and certainly has done so this season, is understanding how his role has changed within the team and individually, what he's able to bring to the team now that perhaps he wasn't last season.”

Moreno continued:

“He has modified his game. He has changed his game. He's now more of an assist guy that can score goals. Because he has the talent of Mbappe in front of him, because he has Neymar playing at a high level, it makes him still a better player.

“Messi, at this point, I think, has reinvented himself and has done so in a manner in which I think he can certainly extend his career if he wants to. It's all a matter of whether he wants to do it or not.”

Lionel Messi’s current contract with the club runs until June 2023, but there’s option for an additional year.

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Lionel Messi surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo’s special record in PSG’s win over Lyon

PSG secured a 1-0 win over Lyon in their Ligue 1 matchday eight clash on Sunday night (September 18). Lionel Messi scored the only goal of the match in the fifth minute, applying the finishing touch to Neymar’s return pass.

Lionel Messi’s fifth Ligue 1 goal of the season took him to a special milestone in football. It marked the 672nd non-penalty goal of his career; scored in 980 games, across clubs and country (via Exclusive Messi).

Messi has now scored more non-penalty goals than his arch-nemesis, Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 671 non-penalty goals in 1130 matches.