Neymar doesn't hold back on his and Lionel Messi's brutal time at PSG

03 September 2023 , 19:48

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Neymar Jr has opened up on his ill-fated reunion with fellow superstar Lionel Messi at PSG (Image: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

Neymar

The superstar forwards struck up a friendship during their successful days at Barcelona but had a less fruitful spell together at Parc des Princes. Both called time on their spells at the club this summer - Messi moved on to play for Inter Miami and Neymar followed him out the door.

After shocking the footballing world by signing for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, the 31-year-old has now shared his thoughts on their ill-fated reunion in Paris. Of course, both players picked up Ligue 1 winners' medals during their stints with Le Parisiens but their failure to win the Champions League will be their legacy at the club.

Despite having Kylian Mbappe to call upon, they never truly threatened to win Europe's biggest prize. In fact, during both of Messi's campaigns with the French giants, they crashed out at the last 16 stage.

Messi has already opened up on his time at PSG, stating he didn't want the move in the first place. He added: "It also took a while for me to quickly get used to a totally different place both in the city and in sports and made difficult,"

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Now, Neymar has explained to Brazilian publication he was left disappointed by how their time together proved futile. The seven-time Ballon d'Or victor would win a career-defining World Cup trophy during the winter of 2022. However, his friend and former colleague expressed his regret at his woes at club level during that him.

He said: "I was very happy for the year he had, but at the same time very sad, because he lived both sides of the coin, he went to heaven with the Argentina team, won everything in recent years, and with Paris he lived hell. We lived through hell, both he and I. We get upset, because we're not there for nothing, we're there to do our best, be champions, try to make history."

Lionel Messi has been in sterling form for Inter Miami since signing for the MLS team (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Adding his discontent that the duo were unable to recreate their glory days from their time at Camp Nou, he said: "That's why we started playing together again, we came together there so we could make history. Unfortunately, we didn't make it."

In the time since Messi decided to move on from his Paris nightmare, he has settled into life with his new club rather nicely. In fact, the legendary winger already has the Leagues Cup trophy to his name and has notched a staggering 11 times in just 10 games.

Neymar, meanwhile, is yet to make his debut in the Saudi Pro League following his blockbuster transfer to the country this summer. The all-time Brazil record goalscorer signed for his new employers for €90 million (£77 million) and has penned a two-year deal.

Tom Beattie