Former Paris Saint-Germain star, Neymar, has revealed that Kylian Mbappé experienced “a little jealousy” after Lionel Messi joined the French club in August 2021.
Speaking on Thursday during a podcast hosted by Brazilian football legend Romário, Neymar offered candid insights into life at PSG and the dynamics among the club’s high-profile attacking trio.
Neymar, who made headlines in 2017 with a record-breaking £222 million move from Barcelona to PSG, acknowledged that while there were occasional tensions with Mbappé, their relationship was mostly amicable.
Responding to Romário’s query about Mbappé, Neymar said, “He’s not annoying. I have my things with him, we had a little fight, but he was fundamental for us when he arrived.”
Neymar further reflected on their bond, saying, “I 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.”
However, Neymar admitted that Messi’s arrival in 2021 altered their dynamic. “We had some good years of partnership, but after Messi came he was a little jealous. He didn’t want to split me with anyone. And then there were some fights, a change in behaviour,” Neymar explained.
Both Neymar and Mbappé joined PSG in 2017, with the club counting on their star power to deliver its first UEFA Champions League title, a goal that remains unmet.
Neymar also reflected on the challenges of managing the egos within the squad, which he believes hindered the team’s success.
“It is good to have egos, but you have to know that you don’t play alone. There needs to be another guy by your side. Big egos were almost everywhere, it can’t work. If nobody runs and nobody helps, it is impossible to win anything,” he said.
After six seasons with PSG, Neymar left for Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, concluding his stint in Paris with an impressive tally of 118 goals and 77 assists in 173 appearances. Meanwhile, Mbappé, another key figure in PSG’s plans, has since joined Real Madrid.
