Messi Plays Among Statues, Not Teammates! Zlatan Ibrahimovic Lashes Out At Inter Miami After PSG Loss

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic has launched a scathing attack on Inter Miami following their crushing 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain at the FIFA Club World Cup. The former Swedish international pulled no punches, defending Lionel Messi and placing the blame squarely on the MLS side for what he described as a humiliating performance.

The defeat, which took place at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, saw PSG dismantle Inter Miami with ease, booking their spot in the quarter-finals. Portuguese star Joao Neves netted a brace, while Tomas Aviles' own goal and Achraf Hakimi's strike sealed a dominant outing for the French giants.

Reacting to the result, Zlatan offered a fiery verdict while speaking to Footmercato. "Messi's defeat? No, don't talk about the defeat as if it was his fault! Messi didn't lose, Inter Miami did! Have you seen this team?"

He went further, questioning the quality surrounding Messi in Miami. "Messi plays among statues, not teammates! If he was in a real team, in Paris, in Manchester [City], in any big team, you would have seen the real lion."

The outspoken striker didn't stop there. He accused the team of failing to support a player of Messi's caliber. "Messi only plays because he loves the game, because he can still do what 99% of players can't! But he's surrounded by those who run as if they were carrying bags of cement! There are no coaches, no stars, not even players who understand how to move without the ball!"

"You want to blame Messi? If he plays with [Cristiano] Ronaldo, with [Kylian] Mbappe, with [Erling] Haaland, with Zlatan. Then you can talk! But today? No, no, no."

"That's not the Messi I know, he's a big ghost who plays in a circus! But be careful, if you give him a real team, he'll burn the stadium down again! Because quite simply. Messi is still Messi, but today? It's not his defeat, it's the defeat of Inter Miami and football."

The contest was largely one-sided from the start. Neves opened the scoring within six minutes, rising unmarked at the far post to head home from a free kick. His second came in the 39th minute, finishing off a smooth team move initiated by Bradley Barcola and Fabian Ruiz.

Inter Miami's night went from bad to worse when Tomas Aviles inadvertently deflected a cross into his own net. Achraf Hakimi then added the fourth just before the break, finishing off his own rebound after hitting the crossbar.

Despite a more active Messi in the second half - including a sharp header and a trademark free-kick attempt - Inter Miami failed to find the back of the net.

PSG's emphatic win sends them into the quarter-finals, where they await the outcome of the much-anticipated showdown between Flamengo and Bayern Munich. For Messi and Inter Miami, the defeat has not only ended their campaign but also reignited conversations around squad quality and ambition - led none other than by Zlatan himself.