Messi’s disastrous season continues with humiliating snub
FT Desk
- Updated: 23 May 2023 08:55 CDT
- 7 min read
Lionel Messi’s disastrous first season in French football continued after he was snubbed from the shortlist for the Ligue 1 Player of the Season prize.
The five players shortlisted for the award are Messi’s PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe, Rennes' Martin Terrier, AS Monaco's Wissam Ben Yedder, Marseille's Dimitri Payet and Lyon's Lucas Paqueta.
Mbappe is the red-hot favourite to win the prize after another fantastic season in which he top-scored in Ligue 1 with 24 goals so far.
Messi left off Ligue Player of the Year shortlist
However, there was no place on the shortlist for Messi, who has endured a hugely underwhelming campaign despite PSG strolling to the Ligue 1 title.
Messi completed a shock Free Transfer to PSG last summer after he was unable to sign a new contract with Barcelona.
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However, Messi has been widely panned by the media and fans – even being booed - after a disappointing first season at the Parc des Princes.
He has scored just four Ligue 1 goals this season and performed poorly as PSG were dumped out of the Champions League – capitulating from 2-0 up on aggregate to lose 3-2 to Real Madrid in the last-16.
It is a far cry from the Messi we saw during over two decades at Barcelona.
The Argentine legend broke almost every record at Camp Nou, scoring an incredible 672 goals in 778 games.
Messi is not the only PSG star to be snubbed as his coach Mauricio Pochettino was also left off the shortlist for the Ligue 1 Coach of the Season.
Nice’s Christophe Galtier, Rennes’ Bruno Génésio, Nantes’ Antoine Kombouaré, Strasbourg’s Julien Stéphan and Marseille’s Jorge Sampaoli are up for the prize for best manager.
