Ousmane Dembele sums up Lionel Messi with comment after Inter Miami captain expresses disappointment over PSG loss on Instagram

Ousmane Dembele was all praise for Lionel Messi after Paris Saint-Germain's 4-0 routing of Inter Miami on Sunday, June 14. The match, played in Atalanta, was the first time Messi played against one of his former sides.

A brace from João Neves, an own goal by Tomas Aviles, and an Achraf Hakimi goal in the first 45 minutes were enough to see PSG book their spot in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup.

Inter Miami talisman Lionel Messi played the full 90 minutes in Atlanta but was barely a threat in the contest as the Ligue 1 giants completely outclassed them.

After the match, Messi was visibly dejected and took to Instagram to express his disappointment, writing:

"Today the Club World Cup ends for us with a defeat against the current champion of the Champions, where there are people I appreciate and gave me joy to see again. We leave with pride to have achieved the goal of making it to the top 16 of the tournament. Now to focus on the @mls and all that is coming...."

Dembele commented on the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's post, writing:

"El mejor'' which when translated to English means "the best"

Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele were teammates at Barcelona between 2017 and 2021. While Messi played the entirety of the game, Dembele came in as a substitute in the 62nd minute, with his side already four goals ahead.

"Good to see you again" - Ousmane Dembele on meeting Lionel Messi again

Despite playing as rivals for 90 minutes of football in Atalanta, Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele still share the camaraderie they had at Barcelona. Messi was consoled after the defeat as his former teammates walked up to him to exchange pleasantries. Hakimi, who scored Paris Saint-Germain's fourth, asked that they swap shirts after the match.

Dembele, however, made sure to strip the Argentine icon naked, taking both his top and shorts. Expressing excitement about meeting his former teammate again, he wrote on Instagram.

"Good to see you again @leomessi, the greatest of all time.. I hope you continue to make history with the @intermiamicf like in this World Club."

Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele have shared the pitch 95 times and have combined for 15 goals. After exiting the Club World Cup, Messi and Inter Miami will turn their attention to Major League Soccer, where they are currently in sixth position in the standings. PSG, on the other hand, will take on Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer