The internet doesn’t forgive — and it certainly doesn’t forget. As Paris Saint-Germain finally lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy after a 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan, soccer fans were quick to turn one of the sport’s long-running punchlines into meme gold: the trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe.
Yes, that trio. The one that was supposed to deliver PSG to European glory — but never made it past the semi-finals.
Instead, it was a team of hungry youngsters led by 19-year-old Desire Doue who secured PSG’s long-awaited coronation. And the memes have been merciless.
Dream finally realized
There were no happy tears in Munich for Lionel Messi, Neymar, or Kylian Mbappe — but there certainly were in the PSG camp. Gianluigi Donnarumma collapsed at full-time, sobbing. Luis Enrique, usually the picture of composure, sprinted down the touchline like a man unburdened. After years of heartbreak and billions spent chasing Europe’s greatest prize, Paris Saint-Germain are finally Champions League winners. And they didn’t just win — they obliterated the Italian side in the most one-sided final in the competition’s history.
The irony was delicious, cruel even. PSG’s long-sought glory came not in the era of superstars, but after they had all gone. The mighty ’MSN’ trio had once promised domination. What they left behind instead was a trail of underachievement and exit wounds.
Galactico years: Big names, bigger letdowns
From the moment Neymar was plucked from Barcelona in 2017 for a record-shattering $252 million, PSG set out to become European royalty. With Mbappe joining shortly after for $104 million, and Messi arriving in 2021 on a free transfer from Barca, it felt like the Parisian club had assembled the Avengers of soccer.
But while they dazzled in Ligue 1 and topped Forbes lists, the Champions League remained elusive.
- 2018: Neymar limped out of the Round of 16 against Real Madrid. PSG exited 5-2 on aggregate.
- 2019: Neymar missed both legs against Manchester United. PSG lost on away goals, shocked by a late penalty.
- 2020: They came closest, reaching the final, only to be sunk 1-0 by Kingsley Coman, a former PSG academy player.
- 2021: Mbappe destroyed Barcelona and Bayern, but fell injured before the semifinal. PSG lost to Manchester City.
- 2022-23: Messi joined, but the trio never truly clicked. Injuries, ego clashes, and tactical confusion dogged the team. Two successive Round of 16 exits confirmed what many had begun to suspect: you can’t buy a team spirit.
In total, Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe started only a fraction of PSG’s possible games together. When it counted most — in March and April — one or more was always absent, out of form, or overburdened.
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