Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar on the same team made world soccer fans mouth water, the prospect of seeing a trio like we have never seen. While PSG are runaway leaders of Ligue 1, and most likely will win the championship, PSG’s ultimate goal is the Champions League.
In the Champions League round of 16, PSG has a date with destiny against Real Madrid, ironically the team that is slated to sign Kylian Mbappe. A report surfaced that Mbappe will announce his future plans after said series to avoid any conflict of interest.
On the Ligue 1 side, Mbappe has shouldered much of the scoring with 9 goals to Messi’s 1 and Neymar’s 3. A report out of The Mirror indicates that there is tension between the trio, and this could affect PSG in the long run.
Issues between Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar
Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain reacts as teammates Lionel Messi and Neymar talk in the background (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
According to L’Equipe, Neymar and Mbappe have “moved away from each other” with the arrival of Lionel Messi to the squad. Messi and Neymar are dear friends from their Barcelona days and at the Copa America finals the two were sharing laughs after Argentina defeated Brazil. Mbappe and Neymar had an altercation in October when the French World Cup winner called Neymar a “tramp” due to a lack of passing during a game.
In an interview with L’Equipe Mbappe admitted as much, “Yes, yes, I said it… Now, these are things that happen all the time in football. It just doesn’t have to be something left. That’s why, immediately afterwards, given the extent of it, I spoke with him about it, there must not be a certain resentment.”
Messi on the other hand has been the man in the middle, there are rumors of a growing tension between Messi and coach Mauricio Pochettino. While in the league Messi’s numbers have been substandard in the Champions League, Messi has saved his best stuff, 5 goals in 6 games.
Tensions have also been reported in The Mirror that the squad is split between the Spanish speaking players and the French ones. While in the trio’s case things don’t seem to be on the up and up as Messi and Neymar were absent from a team outing photograph celebrating Mbappe’s 24th birthday.
To add insult to injury the dream trio looks like they won’t stay together very long as Mbappe could sign with Real Madrid as early as January, or announce his decision to leave PSG in March, most likely to Real Madrid.
