Lionel Messi appears to have relaxed strict rule for opponents since joining PSG

Lionel Messi seems to have relaxed his rules around swapping shirts since trading Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain.

It used to be a rare sight to see Messi swap shirts with an opponent after a match, but the Argentine legend has done so a few times of late.

Opposition players used to be reluctant to ask Messi for his jersey following the final whistle, due to his reputation as being picky.

The 34-year-old has previously hinted in an interview with Argentine TV that he only wants to collect shirts of his compatriots.

"I don't ask for shirts, I usually swap them, but I asked Zidane once," Messi told Argentine channel TyC Sports.

"If there is an Argentine I swap it with him, but, unless someone asks me, I'm not asking anyone."

That approach has seen him build up a shirt collection which includes Argentine players Angel Di Maria, Sergio Aguero, Manuel Lanzini and Diego Milito.

He has made exceptions for the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Philipp Lahm and Francesco Totti, but there are not many match-worn Messi shirts out there from swaps.

However, his stance appears to be softening lately, with Falaye Sacko the latest lucky player to get a PSG shirt with 'Messi 30' on the back after a Ligue 1 game.

Former Manchester United youngster Angel Gomes was shocked to get Messi's shirt earlier in February after playing for Lille against PSG.

And it appears to be becoming a more frequent occurrence, with Sacko swapping shirts with the ex-Barcelona forward after PSG's 3-1 win over Saint-Etienne on Saturday.

After the final whistle blew, Messi turned around, made eye contact with Sacko and immediately began taking his shirt off.

Sacko, who only Saint-Etienne from Vitoria Guimaraes on loan in the January transfer window, then did the same before swapping shirts.

The 26-year-old Mali international then shared a quick handshake with Messi before patting him on the back and walking away with his shirt.

Sacko seems to have been lucky to cross paths with Messi later in the season, because the PSG star hasn't always been so accommodating.

Back in August, when he had first signed on a free transfer from Barca, Messi appeared to snub Reims player Mitchell van Bergen.

Messi came on to replace Neymar with 14 minutes remaining in PSG's 2-0 win over Reims at the Stade Auguste Delaune.

After the final whistle Van Bergen bravely approached him to make his request while gesturing towards his shirt, but Messi was then seen heading off towards the tunnel without obliging.

It is not the first time that Messi has turned down a shirt swap, either, with Bayern Munich and Canadian international Alphonso Davies also failing with a request in August 2020.

But it seems that, now he is settled in his new environment, Messi is increasingly open to handing over his shirt while expanding his own collection.