Thanks to a brilliant performance from Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain were able to secure a draw against RC Lens on Saturday, thus confirming their triumph in Ligue 1 this season.
The result means Messi has now secured his first league title away from Spain, which was his 39th major trophy in a glittering career that has mesmerised countless footballing fans for more than a decade.
The Ligue 1 triumph also means Messi is now catching up on Dani Alves for the record of most trophies won by an individual. The Barcelona veteran currently tops the list with a staggering 43 major honours during his career.
Reacting to the victory, Alves shared a heartfelt message on his Instagram, congratulating his close friend for winning the Ligue 1 title and moving one step closer to equalling his record.
“Life always says: If you are to be overcome sometimes, let it be by someone better than you”, Alves wrote in his Instagram post, which also contained a detailed infographic of the total number of titles won by the two individuals.
“This post is not for ego, it’s just for you to believe in yourself too. Define your destiny and fight every day until you reach your goal!”, he added.
Lionel Messi is currently four trophies away from equalling Alves’ record. At the age of just 34, one would expect the Argentine to easily achieve the feat, especially if remains at PSG beyond the summer and help the club secure at least a domestic double next season.
Messi would ideally like to secure a treble with his new club next term, alongside another ex-Barcelona sensation in Neymar. But with Kylian Mbappe on the verge of joining Real Madrid in the summer, the job could get infinitely more difficult.