Ranking PSG's 5 most creative players in the 21st century

Club Brugge KV v Paris Saint-Germain: Group A - UEFA Champions League
Club Brugge KV v Paris Saint-Germain: Group A - UEFA Champions League

#3 Ronaldinho (2001 – 2003)

PSG and Brazil star Ronaldinho at an interview
PSG and Brazil star Ronaldinho at an interview

For PSG, Ronaldinho was not as prolific as Di Maria or Mbappe. However, the creative repertoire he had and the skills he produced easily propelled him above the current PSG stars.

PSG signed Ronaldinho from Gremio in the summer of 2001. The club were in desperate need of some inspiration and the Brazilian emerged as a messiah.

Ronaldinho beat the league's best defenders without breaking a sweat and he looked good while doing it. He could manifest goalscoring opportunities out of thin air, and there was no stopping him once he got going.

Ronaldinho’s moves mesmerized everyone in France. Unfortunately, his not-so-disciplined lifestyle and love for partying caught up to him. Having scored 25 goals and provided 17 assists in 77 games, Ronaldinho left for Barcelona.

He became the best player in the world at the Camp Nou and won the Ballon d’Or in 2005.


#2 Neymar (2017 – Present)

Paris Saint-Germain v Manchester City: Group A - UEFA Champions League
Paris Saint-Germain v Manchester City: Group A - UEFA Champions League

In 2017, PSG became the only club in history to break through the €200m ceiling for a player. Neymar, who signed for the club for €222m, was made the star of the PSG project, and the Brazilian was ecstatic to be chosen.

Since then, Neymar’s career at PSG has been disappointingly unpredictable. His genius has helped PSG in many matches, but he is yet to deliver the only trophy PSG are desperate for - the UEFA Champions League.

At Barcelona, Neymar’s creativity knew no bounds, and the trend has continued at PSG as well. He possesses an enviable arsenal of skills and tricks, helping him beat any defender on his day.

Neymar is also a capable ballplayer and is rarely shaky in the final third of the pitch. For PSG, Neymar has played 124 matches so far, netting 88 goals and assisting a further 54.


#1 Lionel Messi (2021 – Present)

Paris Saint-Germain v RB Leipzig: Group A - UEFA Champions League
Paris Saint-Germain v RB Leipzig: Group A - UEFA Champions League

Yes, summer signing Lionel Messi has not even played 10 games for PSG so far and has only scored three goals. But given his track record at Barcelona, it is impossible to keep the Argentine off this list.

Messi is not only one of the best strikers of the ball, but he is also one of the best providers. The former Barcelona player can provide inch-perfect crosses, thread the ball through a needle, and has the knack of sniffing out goalscoring opportunities.

At Barcelona, Messi scored 672 goals and provided 301 assists in 778 games across all competitions. If he can produce even a fraction of his earlier exploits at PSG, the French side might just win their first ever UEFA Champions League.

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