Neymar Jr, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in Brazil’s history, has shattered numerous records while serving as a cornerstone of his national team since before turning 22. The Brazilian forward is making headlines following an interview on the podcast hosted by Brazilian legend Romario, where he shared several noteworthy statements. Among the topics discussed was his relationship with Real Madrid’s current striker Kylian Mbappe.
As the marquee signing for Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar Jr became the clubs star player and sporting leader, earning a record breaking 240 million dollar transfer fee, the highest in soccer history, and one of the largest contracts in the sport. Alongside Neymar, PSG also secured a young and highly promising Kylian Mbappe for 185 million dollars. While the two formed a formidable partnership on the pitch, rumors of tension between the two stars have repeatedly surfaced in the international press over the years.
Faced with these rumors, Neymar Jr. spoke to Romario on his podcast and claimed that his relationship with Mbappe was not bad, but it did get worse over time: “Mbappe was not annoying! When Messi came, I think he became a little jealous…I had my things with him, we had a little fight. He was a boy that in the beginning was key, I used to call him ‘Golden Boy’, I was spoke to him, played around with him, told him he’d be one of the best, I always help, always had conversations with him…When Leo arrived, he became a little jealous. He didn’t want to share me with anyone! [laughs] That’s how the fights started, the change in behaviour.”
Lionel Messi‘s arrival at PSG in 2021 reportedly caused tension between Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, with Neymar suggesting that jealousy played a role in their strained relationship. Besides, rumors about Mbappe feeling displaced in the face of this relationship between the two players also surfaced. But Neymar stated that Mbappe felt jealous of this relationship, changed his attitude and their relationship, as a consequence, worsened.
Neymar Jr. opens up about what went wrong at PSG
The arrival of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at PSG had Parisian fans dreaming of their team finally clinching their first Champions League title, with the two stars leading the offense. However, the team fell short in the 2019 final, losing to Bayern Munich and shattering those hopes.
Year after year, PSG faced similar disappointments, failing to secure the coveted Champions League trophy, even after adding Lionel Messi to their star-studded roster. When Brazilian legend Romario asked Neymar Jr. about what went wrong at PSG, Neymar reflected candidly:
“Ego. Ego…I think having an ego is good, thinking you’re the best… but, you have realize to don’t play by yourself…Nowadays if not everyone helps, it’s impossible to win something,” stated the Brazilian star on Romario’s podcast.
With this insight, Neymar suggested that a team full of stars often struggles due to individual egos, which can undermine collective efforts. The Brazilian star emphasized that in today’s game, success depends on every player working hard and contributing selflessly to achieve team goals.