On paper, the attacking trio of Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, and Lionel Messi at Paris Saint-Germain seemed destined for greatness. However, while it wasn’t a complete disaster, PSG’s failure to clinch the Champions League and their consecutive round of 16 eliminations during the two seasons the trio played together fell far short of expectations.
Neymar’s Tense Relationship with Mbappé
Neymar’s close friendship with Messi has been well-documented since their time at Barcelona, but his dynamic with Mbappé was noticeably different. There were frequent reports of tension between the Brazilian and the Frenchman, with Mbappé himself admitting in a September 2022 press conference that their relationship was “hot and cold.”
Neymar’s Candid Remarks About Mbappé
According to French journalist Cyril Hanouna, Neymar has recently confided in his Brazil teammates, including Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Eder Militão, and Endrick, about his strained relationship with Mbappé. Hanouna, speaking on French radio station Europe 1, revealed that Neymar described his time with Mbappé as “catastrophic” and even called it “hell.”
Mbappé’s Request to Sell Neymar
In the summer of 2022, rumors surfaced that Mbappé had requested PSG to sell Neymar. While the Brazilian wasn’t sold immediately, he eventually departed for Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League a year later, ending a period of friction that had plagued PSG’s star trio.