Lionel Messi's ex-Argentina team-mate Javier Pastore backs former club PSG's stance over non-celebration of World Cup win

Ritabrata Banerjee
Messi World Cup ArgentinaGetty
PSGL. MessiFIFA World CupJ. Pastore

Javier Pastore backed his former club PSG on their stance of not celebrating Lionel Messi's World Cup triumph last year.

  • Pastore backs PSG's stance
  • Messi complained about not getting to celebrate at PSG
  • Nasser Al-Khelaifi responded to Messi's statement

WHAT HAPPENED? Recently the Argentina captain stated that he was the only player in the World Cup-winning La Albiceleste side who did not get to celebrate his triumph at his erstwhile club Paris Saint-Germain back in December. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi later replied to Messi's comments by claiming that as a mark of respect to the people of France and Paris who had lost the final to Argentina.

Messi's former Argentina teammate and ex-PSG star Pastore has now backed his former club in their stance of not celebrating the Argentine's triumph in Qatar.

WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to RMC Sport, Pastore said, "I didn’t talk about it with him, but that’s normal; it was something difficult to celebrate a world champion in a country that lost the final. It meant a lot for the club not to not do something important so as not to accentuate a bad moment for France and for players from Paris who played for France.

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"Afterwards, each player can think what he wants. Honestly, I don’t know everything that happened at PSG in the last two years because I wasn’t there. I wasn’t Messi’s teammate. I don’t know. It’s something between the club and the player."

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THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi left PSG after spending just two seasons at the club as he moved to the United States to join Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

Javier PastoreGetty Images

messi world cup(C)Getty Images

Nasser Al-khelaifi 2023Getty

WHAT NEXT? The 36-year-old remains doubtful for Inter Miami's US Open final clash against Houston Dynamo on Wednesday due to his injury that he picked up earlier this month while away on national team duty.

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