“After that I become more confident” - Neymar shares what Lionel Messi told him after he was found crying inside washroom during match

Neymar has outlined how Lionel Messi helped him find his feet at Barcelona. The Brazilian superstar joined the Catalans in 2013 as one of the best young talents in the world.

At Camp Nou, he forged a stunning attacking trident with Luis Suarez and La Pulga, fondly remembered as the 'MSN'. The Brazilian transformed into a world beater with Barcelona, winning multiple trophies, before leaving to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a world-record fee in 2017.

Speaking to Brazil legend Romario, as cited by Fabrizio Romano, Neymar recalled how Lionel Messi found him crying in the washroom and took him under his wing.

“I spent the first 6 months at Barça with butterflies in my stomach. I was like… f*ck, I can’t dribble anyone, I can’t get by anyone, I’m doing everything all wrong!. There was a day I was so despaired. It was going half time. I remember it until this day, it was against Athletic Bilbao, I went into the dressing room pissed at myself. I was playing so bad. I went into the washroom crying by myself thinking 'what am I doing?'” said Neymar.

He continued:

“Then knocked on the door and it was Messi. He asked me: why are you crying? I said nah I’m good, I’m good. Then Dani Alves came and Messi said: Calm down, we’re here to help you. We want you to play your best football like you did at Santos, without any pressure. If you need anything you can count on me. After that I become more confident. More excited to play and everything started to go well!”.

The Brazilian was briefly reunited with Lionel Messi at the Parc des Princes, when the Argentinean joined the Parisians in 2021.

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How many games have Lionel Messi and Neymar played together?

Lionel Messi and Neymar

Neymar has shared the pitch with Lionel Messi 206 times in his career, for Barcelona and PSG. They won 149 and lost just 30 of those games, and contributed 67 goals together.

The duo were outstanding together during their time at Camp Nou, winning the league, the Champions League, the Copa del Rey, the FIFA Club World Cup and the Supercopa de Espana. At PSG, they won the league and the Trophee des Champions together.

Interestingly, both players left the Parc des Princes in the summer of 2023. While La Pulga made the trip across the Atlantic to join MLS side Inter Miami, the Brazilian move to Saudi Arabia to join Al-Hilal.