When Neymar Ended Up In Tears While Talking About Lionel Messi [Video]
Even though Lionel Messi and Neymar are not teammates at FC Barcelona anymore, the bond that was created between 2013 and 2017 has continued to stand out in their hearts.
Neymar, who had several top European clubs after him while he was at his Brazilian club, Santos, he chose to move to Barcelona in 2013. He hardly took time to settle in at Nou Camp as he went on to become a part of Barcelona’s legendary "MSN" front three alongside Messi and Luis Suarez. During Neymar’s spell at Barcelona between 2013 and 2017, the trio played together in as many as 148 matches, across competitions, where they scored a total of 111 goals and produced as many as 51 assists.
Out of which, Neymar’s tally of goals was 20 and 19 assists in 45 matches in comparison to Messi (Goals – 52, Assists – 16 and Games – 52) and Suarez (Goals – 37, Assists – 16 and Games – 51). They formed one of the best front-lines in Europe and were the best in Spain ahead of real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale.
Neymar moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) after Barcelona’s 2017 pre-season had gone underway for a world record transfer fee of $248 million. His exit from Nou Camp turned out to be controversial because it came out as a shock to everyone. Neymar was signed by Barca, as a long-term heir to Messi and was never supposed to leave. However, for a soccer player with ambitions of winning the Ballon d’Or award someday, Neymar had to make the tough decision to moving away from Barcelona, where he was second fiddle to Messi.
It hardly took a year before Neymar’s move to PSG began to backfire. He has been open about returning to Barca over the last few months. Messi, on any given chance publically, has admitted that he wants the Brazilian superstar back to Nou Camp. Ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window, Barcelona are believed to doing everything possible to fulfill their skipper’s wish.
Even Neymar gets emotional whenever he speaks about Barcelona and Messi and one of such instances happened last year when he broke down while speaking about Messi and his life in Barcelona.
“Leo was a very special guy for me in Barcelona. I tell this story to everyone. The moment I needed the support the most, the man on the team, the best in the world came, gave me his hand and said: ‘Come here, you have to be you. You are happy, you have to be the same boy you were at Santos. Don't be shy, don't be afraid of me or anyone at this club. I'm here to help you’. From the moment he said that I was another guy in Barcelona,” Neymar had told Rede Globo.
While in the interview, Neymar had added about wanting to stay longer in Paris and embrace the new challenges; a lot of things have changed in the last few months, including his perspective about wanting to continue at PSG.
If Barcelona do manage to re-sign the talented striker this summer, the deal is expected to last for a very long time.
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