It has squandered the legacy that Messi had done so much to construct. And of those, only three could even come close to taking on a salary as deservedly gargantuan as his. It would be churlish to demand that he should do it on the cheap, as though it is his duty to entertain us. And doubtless profitable: The jerseys will fly off the shelves; the sponsorships will roll in; the TV ratings will rise, too, perhaps lifting all of French soccer with it. It may well be successful, on the field; it will doubtless be good to watch.

Source: New York Times August 10, 2021 18:56 UTC