‘People talk if Messi doesn’t score 50 goals’

There is no doubt that Lionel Messi is one of the greatest players of all time to ever play football. But, his first season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was not up to the mark.

However, he is still the best in the eyes of his PSG teammate Ander Herrera, who said that the Argentine’s maiden Ligue 1 performance should not diminish his legacy.

"You are asking for 50 goals per season," Herrera told AS. "From there, if he doesn't score them, people talk.

"Nor should we forget that Leo has had the all-time record in Ligue 1 - he has hit the post 10 times! If he had scored 10 more goals, it would [have] been a very good season for Leo.

"But for me, he is the best of all time, without any discussion. Now I admire him even more for how he manages his day-to-day life with total humility, [and] always with a smile for people."

He also mentioned, "Kylian [Mbappe] can get a lot out of Leo [Messi]. He is going to put the ball in the right place and with his speed, he will go toe-to-toe with the goalkeeper, where he is lethal.

"Perhaps Messi is no longer [needs] 50 goals at the present time. It's like Cristiano [Ronaldo], they never lower their level."

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was forced to leave Barcelona and came to Parc des Princes last summer. He added another domestic crown to his resume with victory in the French top flight.

However, people did not get the opportunity to see Messi’s true colours in the PSG shirt as he struggled to find the back of the net, posting just 11 goals in 37 appearances.