Brazilian football icon, Neymar has described Lionel Messi’s time at Paris Saint Germain as “hell” for the legendary footballer.
Recall that Lionel Messi left his childhood club, FC Barcelona for PSG in the summer of 2021 after the Spanish giants were unable to renew his contract due to financial complications.
He signed a two-year contract with the French side with the hope that he could help them win the UEFA Champions League which has eluded the club despite the heavy investment on players.
Hence, the players were left frustrated to the point they subjected Lionel Messi and Neymar to constant booing before, during, and after games.
Even after leading Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World in Qatar for the first time in his football career, PSG fans still subjected the record 7 times Ballon d’Or winner to ridicule. His 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 games in all competitions meant nothing to the fans since he couldn’t help them to win the Champions League title.
After his two seasons contract which has a year extension option, expired, Lionel Messi decided not to take the one-year extension and left the club for Inter Miami where he has already scored 11 goals and provided 5 assists in 11 games.
“I was very happy for the year he (Messi) had, but also very sad, because he lived both sides of the coin. He realized a dream with Argentina and won everything, but at PSG he lived through hell. We both did”, Diario AS quoted Neymar as saying.
“Messi left PSG in a way that, from a football perspective, he did not deserve. Everything he is, everything he does, anyone who knows him knows, he’s a guy who trains and fights, and if he loses he’s angry and was unfairly accused.
“It made me very happy that he won the World Cup. Messi deserved to ‘end’ his career like this.”
While Messi is doing exploits in Major League Soccer, Neymar is trying to recover from an ankle injury and is yet to make his Saudi Pro League debut with Al Hilal.
