Paris Saint-Germain duo Lionel Messi and Neymar have been snubbed for Ligue 1's end of season awards despite being instrumental at the business end of the side's run-in for a record-equalling 10th league title. The pair have had a lacklustre spell in the domestic campaign so far and were amiss when the list of nominees were revealed on Wednesday.
Last month, PSG rounded up the league title, dethroning Lille who ended their incredible successive run of win. While it was expected to be a formality for the French giants, the arrival of Lionel Messi and a few other marquee names significantly boosted the chances of Mauricio Pochettino's men.
With the recruitment of the Argentine, many expected Les Parisiens to finally stage a memorable run for the coveted UEFA Champions League. However, the quest hit a dead end as they were eventually eliminated by Real Madrid in the Round of 16 stage. In the league, Messi has struggled for form, having only registered four league goals in 23 games while managing 13 assists. On the other hand, his partner in crime, Neymar Jr, has scored 11 Ligue 1 goals.
Despite the respective tallies of the duo, the UNFP (French Players' Union) has released the nominees for its 2021/22 awards, and Messi and Neymar were left off the list. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe was nominated for the Player of the Year award alongside Wissam Ben Yedder of AS Monaco, Dimitri Payet of Marseille, Lucas Paqueta of Lyon, and Martin Terrier of Stade Rennais. PSG headcoach Mauricio Pochettino was also overlooked for the Coach of the Year award.
