Neymar Jr. was one of FC Barcelona’s standout players in 2017, forming a historic attacking trio with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi that brought immense success to the club. However, in a move that shocked the soccer world, Neymar left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain, with the French club paying his €222 million release clause that year. For years, the reasons behind this decision remained unclear, but Neymar’s father has finally revealed the motivations behind his son’s departure.
“Going to PSG was also his decision, he decided to change. At that time we were in a very difficult situation at Barça because we didn’t know what the sporting management thought. It seemed that the club wanted him to take Messi’s place and he didn’t want that. He decided to leave, to go somewhere else. I wanted my son to stay at Barça. Until the last days we tried to keep him from leaving. But he left because he didn’t want to take Messi’s position and be Barça’s biggest star,”explained Neymar’s father.
For years, there had been speculation that Neymar’s father orchestrated the transfer to PSG, a claim he has now denied. At the time, Messi’s relationship with Barcelona was reportedly strained, and the club appeared to be positioning Neymar as his successor, an idea Neymar rejected. The Brazilian prioritized carving out his own legacy without overshadowing Messi, his friend and mentor.
Neymar Sr. also highlighted his son’s loyalty to FC Barcelona, revealing that Neymar turned down more lucrative offers to join the Catalan giants. “Signing for Barça was entirely his decision. I had in my hands offers from Barça and Madrid. The one from Madrid was three times higher. And he said no, he wanted to play with those guys (Luis Suarez and Messi). His dream was to play for Barcelona.”
Luis Suarez (L) of FC Barcelona celebrates with his teammates Lionel Messi (C) and Neymar Santos Jr (R) after scoring his team’s second goal during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Sporting Gijon at Camp Nou on April 23, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain.
Interestingly, Real Madrid president, Florentino Pérez, had previously denied offering Neymar a contract higher than Barcelona’s. Pérez claimed that Madrid could not compete with Barcelona’s financial package. While the exact figures remain uncertain, Neymar Sr. insists that Real Madrid’s offer, particularly in terms of salary, far exceeded Barcelona’s.
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Neymar’s departure from Barcelona continues to be a pivotal moment in soccer’s history, and these revelations shed new light on the decisions and motivations that shaped his career trajectory.
Was Neymar’s departure from FC Barcelona a mistake?
To call Neymar Jr.’s departure from FC Barcelona a mistake might be too bold, especially given the compelling reasons shared by his father. According to Neymar himself, his time at Paris Saint-Germain allowed him to reach the peak of his game, fulfilling the challenge he sought by leaving Barcelona. However, injuries and off-field controversies ultimately overshadowed his tenure at the Parisian club.
Neymar has admitted that his final two or three years at PSG were far from pleasant. He and Lionel Messi, who later joined PSG, felt they were treated unfairly. Neymar’s recurring injuries, coupled with reports of loud parties hosted at his house, tested the patience of PSG fans, many of whom began to label his time at the club a failure.
The question of what might have been had Neymar stayed at Barcelona will forever remain unanswered, leaving fans to wonder about the legacy he could have built with FC Barcelona.
