Lionel Messi Reacts To Receiving Guard Of Honour By PSG After His World Cup Win {WATCH VIDEO}.

Lionel Messi has arrived back at Paris Saint-Germain's training ground on Wednesday to resume his club duties, having been given an extended break following the conclusion of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar last month.

The Argentine captain returns to the France capital 17-days after guiding his country to World Cup glory, and was also awarded the World Cup Golden Ball award for being the best player during the tournament.

Messi scored twice as Argentina drew 3-3 with former defending champions France in the final, with his fellow PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat-trick to send the game to a shootout.

The Albiceleste finally won via the penalty shootout to claim their first World Cup success since 1986, and third in history.

Since then Messi has been celebrating the victory in his country Argentina and also spending time with his family.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner had to wait until age 35 to claim the most important international honour of his career to seal his status as the greatest player of all time, and has been touted as the leading contender for the 2023 Ballon d'Or.

Although he had previously earned gold at the 2008 Olympics and also won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, a U20 tournament. 

He also led Argentina to defeat Brazil in the final of the 2021 Copa America, after over six editions of the tournament that featured defeats in three previous finals, that forced the the talismanic forward to retire from international football and returned back. 

Messi and Argentina carried the momentum of their Copa America triumph to beat reigning European champions Italy and lift the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions trophy (Finalisima) last summer, adding more silverware to his long and often merry-go-round international career.

On his return the club duties with PSG, the former Barcelona star was given a guard of honour and a warm welcome from his teammates and staff of the French club for winning the World Cup.

The club made sure to make him feel warmly welcomed, even though they are the team of the capital city of the country he defeated in the final.

In a video released by the club online, Messi was flanked by his teammates as he walked onto the training ground for the first time this year (2023). He was also awarded a gold trophy with a star and his name on it by PSG sporting director, Luis Campos, to commemorate his World Cup victory.

“A guard of honour for our World Champion! ??????#BravoLeo.” Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 4, 2023, the French club announced on Twitter.

🎥🔙

This was the return to training for 𝙻𝚎𝚘 𝙼𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒 on video! pic.twitter.com/jtchYF1WDe

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 4, 2023

Messi’s teammates Kylian Mbappe, and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi returned to club duty just three days after the final in Qatar, with Brazil’s Neymar checking in a day later.

But interestingly, Mbappe and Hakimi were both absent when Messi returned to receive the guard of honour, though Neymar his closest pal, was one of the first players to congratulate him.

Reacting to the warm welcome in a post via his Instagram account, Messi expressed his gratitude, as he looks forward to resuming the season with PSG.

“Many thanks to my colleagues and all the people of the club for the welcome they gave me. We’re back and looking forward to continuing to meet the goals of this season, now with the @psg.”... Messi wrote. 

He also made three promises to the club after returning to Le Parc des Princes, as his next priority will simply be to carry his form back into club level with Les Parisiens and settle his future.

“I’m going to prepare myself physically, train well, and get back into the swing of things so that I am ready when the staff decide that I can play,”... He said.

Messi is unlikely to play this weekend when they face third-tier side Chateauroux at the Stade Gaston Petit in the Coupe de France, as it'll be too soon for him.

He will probably make his return in the Ligue 1 home game against Angers next Wednesday, January 11.

Christophe Galtier's side scraped a win in their return fixture against Strasbourg, but were beaten 3-1 by Lens on New Year's Day, and they will hope that Messi can provide a boost when he gets back to action on the pitch.