Amid speculation over his next steps, Al Hilal star Neymar Junior has opened up about expectations over his future with the Brazilian team and the FIFA Club World Cup. However, the star also reflected on his past, especially his time playing for Paris Saint Germain and how the treatment from fans towards him and his friend Lionel Messi changed over time.
During an interview on Bartoli Time with RMC this Sunday, the Brazilian forward said that his first year in Paris “was fantastic” but that the relationship with PSG supporters changed over time, something that Messi also experienced.
“I was very well received by the fans, but the last two or three years weren’t the same. The way I was treated wasn’t really fair,” he said. “I think Messi went through more or less the same thing.”
He explained, “In my case, they crossed the line (when they came to his house). Our relationship was no longer respectful, even though I had always respected them… It was really a complicated situation. I was sad about how I was treated in the end.”
Neymar joined PSG in 2017, in a record-breaking $222 million transfer move. He made 173 appearances, scoring 118 goals and providing 73 assists. Meanwhile, Messi joined him in 2021, after he couldn’t renew his contract with Barcelona amid the Catalans’ financial woes. In two seasons, the Argentine star made 73 appearances, scoring 32 goals and providing 34 assists.
Lionel Messi and Neymar during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 leg one match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Bayern Munich (IMAGO / ABACAPRESS)
In their time together, alongside now Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe, they managed to win two French league titles, as well as a Trophée des Champions. Neymar and Mbappe also won three more Ligue 1 titles, three Coupe de France trophies, two Coupe de la Ligue titles, and two more Trophée des Champions. However, they fell short when it came to European glory.
see also
2026 World Cup: Neymar makes major announcement about his return to Brazil national team
PSG’s Champions League struggles took a toll on Messi and Neymar
While PSG has been successful domestically, the club’s European ambitions weren’t met. With both stars, the team could only reach the Round of 16, losing to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. With both stars under staggering contracts, fans demanded more of them. Messi and Argentina’s World Cup win over France didn’t help matters either.
In 2023, 400 fans of the Qatari-owned club assembled to demand resignations and push for Lionel Messi’s exit. The situation intensified when approximately 100 supporters later congregated outside Neymar’s home—despite his injury—chanting for his departure with shouts of “Neymar, get out.”
Lionel Messi and Neymar playing for PSG in 2023 (IMAGO / ActionPictures)
After that situation, Neymar admits that the relationship with French supporters is part of his “sad moments” with the club. However, he also says that he doesn’t hold grudges against PSG, as he still wishes them “to achieve the best results possible.”
Messi admits ‘rough’ time while playing for PSG
While Messi hasn’t spoken directly about his relationship with fans of the French club, he admitted that he had a “rough” time while living in France. After moving to Miami, the World Cup champion told ESPN that he was looking forward to enjoying soccer “after two difficult years, the truth is we had it rough.”
see also
Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Mbappe together: How CR7 turned down the path Messi later took at PSG
Luckily for him, he has found happiness in Miami, helping the team win its first titles, the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters’ Shield. Now, as his contract expires in 2025, he is reportedly looking forward to extending it for at least another year.
