Brazilian superstar Neymar said the arrival of Lionel Messi to Paris Saint Germain in August 2021 affected his relationship with Kylian Mbappe.
Recall that Messi joined PSG on a free transfer after a remarkable career at Barcelona, but his stay there didn’t end as well as expected.
In a podcast hosted by fellow Brazilian Romário, Neymar acknowledged that the presence of strong personalities in the squad sometimes influenced performance during critical matches.
When asked about Mbappé, who has recently transferred to Real Madrid, Neymar emphasized, “No, he is not annoying. We did have our differences, and there was a minor conflict, but he played a crucial role for us when he first joined.”
Neymar reflected on their relationship, saying, “I used to call him ‘Golden Boy’ because I always believed in his potential. We would often share time, and I made an effort to support and guide him during our partnership.”
He also mentioned that after Messi joined the team, there were some tensions, explaining, “He was a bit concerned about sharing my attention with others, which contributed to some changes in our interactions.”
Both Neymar and Mbappé joined PSG in 2017, marking the beginning of an exciting era for the club which ended below expectations.