Kevin De Bruyne chooses between PSG superstars Neymar and Mbappe
During a recent interview with ESPN, Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne chose Neymar over the Brazilian's Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammate Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe has been PSG’s primary goalscorer and arguably their best player in recent seasons. This is despite the arrival of Lionel Messi last season and the long-term presence of Neymar. However, the Brazilian and the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner share a close bond and have combined well under new PSG manager Christophe Galtier.
This has resulted in the Frenchman reportedly feeling sidelined at the club where he signed a recent contract extension. Mbappe was promised a star role in the club’s future but his relationship with Neymar has reportedly broken down. Neymar, meanwhile, has reportedly become more popular among his teammates after a stunning start to the season.
While the 23-year-old Frenchman is still highly rated, his attitude might be a problem if he is to emulate the likes of Messi in the future. De Bruyne ended up choosing Neymar over Kylian Mbappe when asked to make a choice. Considering how things have gone at PSG recently, the Manchester City midfielder's choice could prove to be a shrewd one.
Kylian Mbappe receives heavy scrutiny for his relationship with PSG teammates Neymar and Messi
The Frenchman also seemed to have bumped Lionel Messi needlessly during PSG’s recent 5-2 victory over Montpellier. This has brought forth further criticism for the striker, whose ego has been questioned. Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney also claimed the following about Kylian Mbappe:
"A 22-23 year old player throwing a shoulder at Messi... I have never seen a bigger ego than this in my life. Someone remind Mbappe that at 22 years old, Messi had four Ballon d'Ors."
Needless to say, the club and the manager will not be happy with the lack of unity among their top superstars. The three together form the best trio in world football on paper and winning the Champions League will be the obvious target.
Both Neymar and Messi have started the season in style and look to have returned to their best. The Argentine in particular will be disappointed after not making the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or and will be determined to have a good season. Considering the upcoming World Cup, Messi will have plenty of chances to make another shot at winning the coveted individual award.
On the other hand, PSG’s chances will only increase if Kylian Mbappe can find a way of getting along with Lionel Messi and Neymar.