“Win the fu***ng World Cup” - PSG superstar Neymar reveals what he told Lionel Messi before 2022 FIFA World Cup final
Lionel Messi finally got his hands on the coveted FIFA World Cup trophy in Qatar in 2022. His former Barcelona teammate, Neymar, recently revealed what he said to the former Paris Saint-Germain forward before Argentina's final against France.
Neymar's Brazil crashed out of the tournament in the quarter-finals, losing on penalties to Croatia after the match ended 1-1 after extra time.
The 31-year-old didn't reach the final of the tournament but urged Messi to win the trophy, as he said (All About Argentina):
"I spoke to Messi before the World Cup final and I told him: ‘I didn't get there, but since you got there, win the f**king World Cup.' I told him that I was supporting him. It had to end it in a golden way. I was very happy, football has been happy since that victory."
Argentina ended up beating France in dramatic fashion to win the biggest international trophy of them all. The game ended in a 3-3 draw after extra time, with Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat-trick.
Messi scored twice during the game before calmly putting away his penalty in the shootout. Eventually, the South American nation beat their European counterparts 4-2 on penalties.
The World Cup winner and Neymar have shared the dressing room at Barcelona and PSG. The two played together on 161 occasions at Camp Nou and have 56 goal participations with one another.
During their second stint together at the Parc des Princes, they played together on 45 occasions, managing 11 joint goal contributions.
Neymar admitted Lionel Messi is the best player in the world
Former teammates at Paris Saint Germain and Barcelona, Lionel Messi, and Neymar, have spent ample time together. It is no surprise that the Brazil international believes the left-footed genius to be the best footballer in the world.
Speaking in 2019 about their time together at the Catalan club, Neymar said (Planet Football):
“For me, he’s the best player in the world. The best player that I’ve ever seen play. We made a magnificent duo. It was a pleasure for me, an honour to play with him. And, on top of that, he is my friend.”
Unlike Neymar, the World Cup winner has moved on from European football, leaving PSG earlier this summer. He joined Inter Miami of the MLS and signed a deal with the club that will see him in the USA till 2025 (via The Guardian).
The Brazilian, meanwhile, remains with the Ligue 1 outfit amid rumors of a move to Chelsea (via The Guardian).