In an interview with the “Jota Jota Podcast,” Neymar’s father put light on the reasons behind his son’s decision to leave Barcelona for PSG, highlighting that the move was closely tied to Messi. Neymar’s transfer to PSG in August 2017, valued at approximately 222 million euros, remains the most expensive in football history.
Neymar Sr blamed Messi for his son’s departure from Barcelona in 2017. According to his comments, Neymar’s desire not to take the Argentine star’s position was crucial in accepting the offer from Paris Saint-Germain, who paid the buyout clause.
“Going to PSG was also his decision; he chose to change. At that moment, we were in a very difficult situation at Barça because we didn’t know what the sporting management was thinking. It seemed like the club wanted him to take Messi’s place, and he didn’t want that,” Neymar Santos Sr. said in an interview with the Jota Joya podcast.
He added: “He decided to leave, to go elsewhere. I wanted my son to stay at Barça. Until the last days, we tried to keep him from leaving. But he left because he didn’t want to take Messi’s position and be the biggest star at Barça,”
Neymar’s commitment to Barcelona was clear even before he signed with the club. His father revealed that Neymar chose to pursue his dream of playing at Camp Nou, turning down a more lucrative offer from Real Madrid in the process.
“Signing for Barca was entirely his decision,” Neymar Sr. said. “I had in my hands offers from Barca and Madrid. The one from Madrid was three times higher. And he said no, he wanted to play with those guys (Suarez and Messi). His dream was to play for Barcelona.”
The Brazilian’s exit dealt a heavy blow to both Barcelona and his own career trajectory. Barcelona faced challenges in replacing him, with signings like Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembélé falling short of replicating his influence, while Neymar, despite achieving domestic success and delivering occasional brilliance, has struggled to recapture his peak form in Paris.
The pair reunited at Parc des Princes, securing two league titles but falling short of delivering the coveted Champions League trophy for PSG. Now, reports suggest another reunion could be possible, with Messi’s Inter Miami showing interest in bringing Neymar aboard to conclude his injury-filled stint in the Middle East.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
