'Too many Messis' - Henry explains legend's PSG difficulties

Stuart Telford

• 17 Sept 2023 13:07 BST
• 3 min read

Lionel Messi has hit the ground running at Inter Miami after a missed spell at PSG - one that former Barcelona teammate Thierry Henry says wasn't his fault.

Messi joined the David Beckham-backed project in Florida in July, arriving in MLS on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.

He has since hit 11 goals in 11 games, and fired them to Leagues Cup glory with victory over Nashville last month.

READ: Lionel Messi at Inter Miami: Goals, assists, results & fixtures in 2023

He had been similarly prolific in Paris last season with 16 goals and as many assists from 32 Ligue 1 games, but PSG only won the title a point clear of Lens, and not every fan mourned his departure.

Henry, however, has defended his former teammate's record.

"No, I'm not disappointed with Messi's two years at PSG," he told former PSG man Jerome Rothen on RMC Sport. "I said before that playing in this team was a real headache, and I was talking about structure and organisation.

READ: Who will win Ballon d’Or 2023? Shortlist, favourites, latest odds, date and past winners

'MNM' a problem

"But how do you play with all three at the same time [Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar]?"

Messi won the World Cup with Argentina last December while on PSG's books, and Henry thinks the above was a crucial difference between his club and national teams.

"With Argentina there's a structure and not three Messis," Henry continued. "It's just him. If you put him in a framework where he's the only boss then I think he'll shine."

That's certainly proven the case in Miami, even though he has been joined by former Barca teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Those two, unlike Mbappe and Neymar, don’t occupy similar positions on the field.

Inter suffered their first defeat since Messi's arrival on Saturday, however, losing 5-2 to Atlanta United with the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner injured.