(Paris) Lionel Messi, crowned world champion with Argentina in December in Qatar, returned to the Paris SG training center on Wednesday, the capital club announced.
The 35-year-old seven-time Ballon d’Or winner left his hometown of Rosario on Monday evening with his family and landed at Le Bourget airport north of Paris on Tuesday.
After grandiose festivities following his world title with the Albiceleste, the Argentinian striker took advantage of a few days off with his family before joining his Parisian teammates.
He was welcomed on the training grounds located in St-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines) by a guard of honor of the players present, before being offered a small trophy from the hands of PSG football adviser, Luis Campos , according to images posted by the club on its Twitter account.
Messi is the latest PSG globalist to return to the training grounds. Kylian Mbappé, his opponent in the World Cup final (3-3 aet, 4 pens to 2), as well as Moroccan Achraf Hakimi, 4e of the World Cup, had made their returns on December 21, only three days after the end of the tournament.
The two players thus took part in the two matches of PSG in L1 during the holidays (victory against Strasbourg 2-1, defeat at Lens 3-1) before being granted ten days of rest.
The Parisians must now continue with a meeting of 32e final of the Coupe de France in Châteauroux on Friday, probably without Messi, who could perhaps return to competition when they receive Angers in L1 (18e day) next Wednesday.