I was happy for him, but also very sad — Neymar on Messi's World Cup year
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Neymar and Messi were teammates at both Barcelona and PSG || Image credit: Imago

I was happy for him, but also very sad — Neymar on Messi's World Cup year

Faruq Ibrahim 20:11 - 03.09.2023

Neymar opens up about the difficult time he and Lionel Messi had at Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar has had strong words to say about his and Messi's struggles at Paris Saint-Germain. 

The 31-year-old Brazilian was Messi's teammate at Barcelona before leaving for PSG in the summer of 2017. 

The duo reunited in the French capital in 2021 after Messi's time in Catalonia came to an end, and for two seasons they were teammates at PSG. 

Both players left the club this summer, with the Argentine leaving for the MLS and the former Santos star moving to the Saudi Professional League. 

Their struggles at PSG 

Despite winning two league titles in their time together, their lack of success in the Champions League, among other things, alienated them from the PSG fanbase, who became vocal with their displeasure, booing the duo as well as sending expletives their way.

Messi has spoken on how difficult his time at the club was since joining Inter Miami, saying it was a tough two years for him and his family.  

Lionel Messi said he had a difficult time at PSG || Image credit: Imago
Lionel Messi said he had a difficult time at PSG || Image credit: Imago
Kylian Mbappe says Messi was treated with disrespect at PSG
Kylian Mbappe says Messi was treated with disrespect at PSG

Neymar, who himself is now at Al-Hilal has now opened up about the difficulties the duo had and how 2022 was a year of mixed feelings. 

What Neymar said 

Neymar revealed that he was happy about the past year Messi had because he won the World Cup, but said he was also sad because although he experienced joy with the national team, he was living opposite at the club. 

“I was very happy for the year he had, but at the same time very sad because he lived both sides of the coin, went to heaven with the Argentina national team, won everything in recent years, and with Paris lived a hell, we lived a hell, both he and I,” Neymar told Globo.

“We get upset, because we are not there for nothing, we are there to give our best. To always be champions, to try to make history, that's why we went back to playing together. We got together there so that we could make history. Unfortunately, we couldn't.”

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