PSG: Messi’s humble story of receiving a shirt from a little-known Brazilian club

Former PSG striker Alex Dias said he gave Lionel Messi a shirt from a Brazilian team at the start of the current season.

The PSG star who will face Strasbourg this Friday at 2:00 p.m. in Mexico City, Lionel Messi, has many soccer team jerseys stored at home.

In September 2021, the Argentine added to his incredible collection the shirt of Alex Daysformer striker for São Paulo, Vasco, Goias and that he defended PSG in the 2001-02 season.

The meeting took place after the Brazilian was invited to watch the game of the French squad in the Parc des Princes against Manchester City corresponding to the Group Phase of Champions League.

“I stayed in the box and was received with great affection by (the sports director) Leonardo. The next day I went to the Training Center and was able to talk with the players. I spoke with (the coach Mauritius) Pochettino, who was my colleague at PSG. It was great because I was able to take pictures with him, Mbappe Y Messi“, he told ESPN.

Alex was accompanied on the visit by the former Argentine player John Paul Sorinwho also defended the Parisian club.

“I took t-shirts from the Goias What did I give to Pochettino and Messi. Sorin explained to Messi that I had played for PSG! He thanked her for the gift, we took a picture together and he recorded a video for my daughter. He was too polite. I don’t know if I knew the Goiasbut after I posted the photo, it went viral on my social media,” she said.

The former striker brought luck to PSG, who won 2-0 at City from Guardiola with a goal from Messi. “I joked with the directors that I had to go there all the time because I gave them luck.”

On his second visit of the season to Paris, Alex saw how PSG defeated 1-0 real Madrid in the round of 16 of the Champions League with a goal from Mbappe.

“This time I lived with Neymar, who is always very affectionate with me. I also gave him a t-shirt from the Goias (laughs). He was super nice to my friends who accompanied me to Paris. This game against Real felt like a duel between teams: Messi, Mbappe, Neymar, Benzema…”, said.

However, PSG ended up being eliminated by the real Madrid in the second leg and entered a serious crisis. In recent weeks there has been speculation about the departure of the coach Pochettinoof the sports director Leonard and even of Neymar. Not even winning the French title softened the spirits.

“It’s a complicated moment because of what happened in Champions League. The thought of the fans and the board that hired these players was that they would win by a landslide. But things are not like that because on the other side there are players who also want to succeed in football. That’s why things happen differently.”

Currently, PSG is still trying to convince Mbappé to stay in the squad, but the real Madrid It could become your new home.

“I think Mbappe It will go away, I don’t know how it will be. They need to hire another top striker, because they have money for that, to come out strong in the Champions League. If he leaves, it will be a huge loss for PSG. Neymar And Messi I think they will stay because they have a contract.”