Neymar has sensationally claimed that Kylian Mbappe grew jealous of Lionel Messi during their time together at Paris Saint-Germain.
The Brazilian superstar made the explosive revelation during an appearance on a podcast hosted by World Cup winner Romario..
The 32-year-old, who now plays for Saudi side Al-Hilal, lifted the lid on the ego wars that plagued PSG’s star-studded attack.
Neymar spent six years in Paris following his world-record £200million move from Barcelona in 2017, forming part of one of football’s most formidable front lines alongside Mbappe and Messi
Neymar has sensationally claimed that Kylian Mbappe grew jealous of Lionel Messi during their time together at Paris Saint-Germain
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Speaking on the podcast, Neymar revealed his initially close relationship with Mbappe at PSG.
“I used to call him golden boy. I always played with him, said he was going to be one of the best,” the Brazilian explained.
He described how they would have dinner together and maintained a strong partnership in their early years.
Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe all failed to win the Champions League during their time at PSG together
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However, the dynamic shifted dramatically after Messi’s arrival at the club.
“After Messi came he was a little jealous,” Neymar said. “He didn’t want to split me with anyone. And then there were some fights, a change in behavior.”
The relationship between the two PSG stars came under intense scrutiny during their final seasons together in Paris.
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Their strained dynamic was publicly exposed during a Ligue 1 match against Montpellier in August 2022, when the pair clashed over penalty-taking duties.
Media reports at the time highlighted growing tensions between Neymar and Mbappe.
During his time at PSG, Neymar proved his worth on the pitch, contributing 118 goals and 77 assists in 173 appearances.
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The club’s attacking trio, which included Messi, were reportedly earning a combined £3.25m per week during their time together in Paris.
Despite their star-studded lineup, PSG repeatedly fell short in the Champions League, crashing out in crucial knockout games against Real Madrid while failing to beat Bayern Munich in the final of the competition in 2020.
Neymar reflected on these European disappointments, suggesting the abundance of egos within the squad proved problematic.
Neymar and Kylian Mbappe were team-mates at PSG together for six years
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“It is good to have egos,” the Brazilian said. “But you have to know that you don’t play alone.”
He added: “There needs to be another guy by your side. (Big) egos were almost everywhere, it can’t work.
“If nobody runs and nobody helps, it is impossible to win anything.”