“It’s the same for Lionel Messi” - Neymar sheds light on ‘injustice’ he faced from PSG and supporters during time there
Neymar Jr. recently shed light on how Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) fans treated Lionel Messi and him during their time at the club. The duo shared the pitch at PSG between 2021 and 2023 after their stint at Barcelona (2013-2017).
Neymar joined the French side in 2017 for a record €222 million transfer fee from Barcelona. In 2021, Lionel Messi joined his former teammate as a free agent after the Catalan side failed to renew his contract owing to their financial woes. In 45 games for PSG in two seasons, they recorded 11 joint-goal participations.
In an interview with RMC Sport, Neymar shared his thoughts on the injustice he faced from Paris Saint-Germain fans alongside Lionel Messi at the club. He said (via GOAL):
"The last two or three years have not been the same, it was not incredible the way I was treated, it's the same for Lionel Messi. For me, there was injustice, because I always gave my all on the pitch. I have no resentment, but I was a little sad about the way I was treated by the supporters, especially when they came to my house when they wanted to invade my house, insult me, or want to hit me."
He added:
"For me, they crossed the line. Our relationship was no longer respectful, while I always respected them... It was really a complicated situation. I was sad about the way I was treated in the end, but it passed. I respect the PSG club and I will always support them so that they have the best results."
During their time at the club, Lionel Messi and Neymar were booed by PSG fans multiple times during home games. Some fans also reached the Brazilian's home in Paris to protest his continued presence at the club. Meanwhile, their resentment towards Messi also grew after Argentina beat France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Brazil international eventually left PSG to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in 2023. Messi too said goodbye to the Ligue 1 side and joined MLS club Inter Miami in the same year.
"We will not hesitate" - Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas on reuniting Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr at the club
In an interview with GiveMeSport this month, Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas spoke about Neymar joining Lionel Messi for the Herons amid heavy transfer rumors. The Selecao superstar is reportedly set to leave Al-Hilal after his contract ends in June 2025.
"I have always said we aspire to bring great players to our team. We have a lot of roster limitations and restrictions, but we have an unlimited budget. If there is ever a chance to bring the caliber of a player like him, we will not hesitate. It doesn't depend only on me. It depends on the player and the league. But yes, we aspire to build a great roster here," Jorge Mas said.
If the Al-Hilal ace joins Inter Miami, he will be the only player to have played with the Argentine superstar in all three clubs of his professional career. It will also bring together the famed MSN (Messi, Suarez, Neymar) trio after their time at Barcelona.