Lionel Messi's final game for Paris Saint-Germain ended in a disappointing 3-2 home defeat against Clermont on Saturday.
Manager Christophe Galtier had confirmed on Thursday that it was to be Messi's last for the club and said that he hoped the World Cup winner would “receive the warmest of welcomes” at Parc des Princes.
And PSG released a statement on the club's website on Saturday stating that Messi's contribution since joining in 2021 “cannot be underestimated”.
“I would like to thank Leo Messi for his two seasons in Paris,” said PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi.
“It was a pleasure to see the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner at the Rouge & Bleu and Parc des Princes, winning back-to-back Ligue 1 titles and inspiring our younger players.
“His contribution to Paris Saint-Germain and Ligue 1 cannot be underestimated and we wish Leo and his family all the best for the future.”
But, despite finishing with 16 Ligue 1 goals and 16 assists this season, the Argentine was still booed by some fans before the game at Parc des Princes – and whistled sporadically during the match.
There was little riding on the game itself after PSG wrapped up a record 11th French title last weekend, and Galtier's side managed to throw away a two-goal lead against mid-table Clermont.
Sergio Ramos, whose own departure from PSG was confirmed on Friday, marked his final appearance by heading in a Vitinha cross for the opener in the 16th minute.
Mbappe, looking to end a fifth consecutive season as Ligue 1's top scorer, then scored a penalty to make it 2-0 with his 29th league goal this season, which he marked by holding up goalkeeper Sergio Rico's number 16 jersey.
Spaniard Rico, PSG's back-up goalkeeper, is in a serious condition in hospital in Seville after being injured in a horse-riding accident last weekend.
Clermont fought their back into the game with Johan Gastien finishing after Marco Verratti's error. Mehdi Zeffane equalised and Grejohn Kyei, who had a goal disallowed by VAR and missed a penalty, bundled in the winner.
“The most important thing was the tribute to Sergio,” Mbappe told broadcaster Canal Plus.
“There are more important things than football, and on the pitch we were already champions. We could have lost 22-0 and that would not have changed anything for us.
“We had to pay tribute to Sergio. I think we have all been affected by what is an extremely serious situation. We have been worried about that all week and so we tried to pay tribute in the best possible way.”
Mbappe's goal helped him win a fifth consecutive Ligue 1 Golden Boot. He is only the fourth player to finish top scorer in France five times, level with the record of Carlos Bianchi, Delio Onnis and Jean-Pierre Papin.
The France striker finished on 29 goals, two clear of Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette, who did not score in his side's 3-1 defeat at Nice.
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Switching%20sides
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Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Smart words at Make Smart Cool
Make Smart Cool is not your usual festival. Dubbed “edutainment” by organisers Najahi Events, Make Smart Cool aims to inspire its youthful target audience through a mix of interactive presentation by social media influencers and a concert finale featuring Example with DJ Wire. Here are some of the speakers sharing their inspiration and experiences on the night.
Prince Ea
With his social media videos accumulating more half a billion views, the American motivational speaker is hot on the college circuit in the US, with talks that focus on the many ways to generate passion and motivation when it comes to learning.
Khalid Al Ameri
The Emirati columnist and presenter is much loved by local youth, with writings and presentations about education, entrepreneurship and family balance. His lectures on career and personal development are sought after by the education and business sector.
Ben Ouattara
Born to an Ivorian father and German mother, the Dubai-based fitness instructor and motivational speaker is all about conquering fears and insecurities. His talk focuses on the need to gain emotional and physical fitness when facing life’s challenges. As well managing his film production company, Ouattara is one of the official ambassadors of Dubai Expo2020.
The Bio
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
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