Messi, Mbappe and Neymar set to join forces for first time since World Cup

Paris Saint-Germain’s (L-R) French forward Kylian Mbappe, Argentinian forward Lionel Messi and Brazilian forward Neymar pose during a press conference in Tokyo on July 17, 2022. (Photo by TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA and Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP)

Paris Saint-Germain’s trip to Rennes on Sunday is set to be the first time their superstar front three of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar have all played together since the World Cup.

Mbappe returned to training on Thursday having been given 10 days off after coming back from Qatar and playing in PSG’s first two games following the tournament.

He jetted off to New York for a break and was nowhere to be seen as Messi made his comeback, and scored, in a 2-0 victory for the Ligue 1 leaders against Angers on Wednesday.

The World Cup was a clear motivating factor in the trio’s outstanding form during the early months of the campaign, and how they play together will be crucial in determining how the remainder of the season goes for PSG.

They are six points clear of Lens before completing the first half of the season in Rennes, but the Champions League is their main objective.

After failing to come top of their group, Christophe Galtier’s side were drawn to play Bayern Munich in the last 16, with the first leg at home set for February 14.

Galtier described the 35-year-old Messi as “relaxed and in great shape physically” after his first match since captaining Argentina to a penalty shoot-out victory over Mbappe’s France in an epic World Cup final last month.

The question now is how much motivation the former Barcelona star has after that career-defining triumph.

PSG are keen to extend his contract in the French capital into a third season and Messi’s biggest goal now will be to win the Champions