Neymar lifts lid on PSG ‘fights’ with Kylian Mbappe ‘jealous’ of Lionel Messi and why it was ‘impossible’ to succeed
NEYMAR has opened up about his relationship with Kylian Mbappe, which he reckons went downhill after Lionel Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain.
The trio were made up the French champion’s electrifying strike force from the summer of 2021 to 2023.
But all their talent couldn’t deliver the club’s ultimatum goal – the Champions League trophy.
And Neymar believes Messi’s arrival to the Parc des Princes as a free agent in the summer of 2021 proved detrimental to his partnership with Mbappe – with whom he allegedly developed a feud.
During an appearance on a podcast hosted by Brazil icon Romario, he said: “No, he (Mbappe) is not annoying].
“I have my things with him, we had a little fight, but he was fundamental for us when he arrived.
“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.
“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 was no stranger to playing in a star-studded team prior to Messi’s arrival at PSG having played in a front three with the Argentine and Luis Suarez during his time at Barcelona.
Both experiences, however, have left him adamant that having too many “big egos” in a team is a recipe for disaster.
The 32-year-old added: “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.”
Neymar departed PSG in August 2023, moving to Saudi Arabia to join Al-Hilal.
Injuries – including a torn cruciate ligament – have restricted him to a mere 11 appearances for the club.
Mbappe, meanwhile, now plies his trade with Real Madrid – while Messi is in the MLS with Inter Miami.