Former Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar has revealed that Kylian Mbappรฉ became โa little jealousโ after Lionel Messi joined the French club in August 2021.
Neymar made the statement on Thursday during a podcast hosted by Brazilian World Cup winner Romรกrio, where he shared insights about life at PSG and the dynamics within their star-studded front three.
Neymar, who joined PSG for a world-record ยฃ222 million transfer fee in 2017 after his successful stint at Barcelona, admitted there were tensions between him and Mbappรฉ but described their relationship as generally positive.
โHeโs not annoying,โ Neymar said in response to Romรกrioโs question about Mbappรฉ.
โI have my things with him, we had a little fight, but he was fundamental for us when he arrived.
โI used to call him golden boy. I always played with him, said he was going to be one of the best. I always helped, talked to him, he came to my place, we had dinner together,โ Neymar recalled.
However, Neymar added that Messiโs arrival in 2021 created a rift.
โWe had some good years of partnership, but after Messi came he was a little jealous. He didnโt want to split me with anyone. And then there were some fights, a change in behavior,โ Neymar stated.
Mbappรฉ joined PSG from Monaco in the same year as Neymar, with both players brought in to help the club secure its first UEFA Champions League title โ a feat that remains elusive.
Neymar reflected on the challenges the team faced due to inflated egos within the squad.
โIt is good to have egos, but you have to know that you donโt play alone. There needs to be another guy by your side. Big egos were almost everywhere, it canโt work.
โIf nobody runs and nobody helps, it is impossible to win anything,โ Neymar said.
Neymar, who now plays for Saudi club Al-Hilal, concluded his time at PSG with an impressive record of 118 goals and 77 assists in 173 appearances.
Mbappรฉ has since moved on to Real Madrid.
The Punch
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