Lionel Messiās Inter Miami secured second place in Group A after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Palmeiras, earning a spot in the Round of 16 at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Their next opponent will be Paris Saint-Germain, who topped Group B to advance.
The matchup marks a highly anticipated reunion, as Messi is set to face PSG for the first time since leaving the French giants for MLS. Ahead of the game, PSG star Achraf Hakimi shared his thoughtsāand a subtle warningāfor his former teammate.
āIt would be great to see Messi again,ā said Hakimi. The Moroccan international praised the Argentineās time in Paris before drawing a competitive line in the sand. āI spent two great years with him. But once weāre on the pitch, there are no friends. Heāll try to win, and so will weā.
PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma also looked ahead to the clash with Inter Miami, telling DAZN after the draw was finalized: āItās fantastic for us and for me,ā said the Italian international.
Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy and Lionel Messi of Argentina attend at Wembley Stadium. (Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Donnarumma went on to reflect on Messiās two-year stint at PSG: āLeo is a great friend. I lived here with him for two fantastic years in which we played with the best player in the world. But now, I hope we wināheās already won plenty of titlesā.
see also
Lionel Messi turns 38: How his goal tally compares to Cristiano Ronaldo at the same age
PSGās message to Messi
The storyline of Messi facing his former club adds further intrigue to the matchānot just because PSG represents European dominance in the tournament, but also because itās the last club Messi played for in Europe before moving to the United States.
On Messiās 38th birthday, PSG acknowledged their former No. 10 with a pointed message via X (formerly Twitter): āHappy birthday, Leo Messi!ā the club wrote, sharing a photo of the Argentine icon. But it didnāt end there. In a playful, competitive twist, they added: āSee you Sundayā.
When is Inter Miami vs. PSG?
Inter Miami will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday, June 29, with kickoff at MercedesāBenz Stadium in Atlanta.
