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Neymar once named Lionel Messi as the best player he's ever seen and the greatest in the history of the sport. The Brazilian had the privilege of playing with Messi at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Speaking to DAZN in 2022, Neymar spoke about his expreience playing alongside the Barcelona legend and about the friendship they formed. He said (via the Daily Mail):
"Playing alongside Leo was a unique experience and we became friends. Of those I've seen play, Messi is the best in history."
Neymar has been linked with a move to Inter Miami, and the Brazilian has admitted that he wants to reunite with Messi. The Santos star left Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi Pro League rivals, Al-Hilal, this season after terminating his contract. Speaking to ESPN Argentina in March last year he said:
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"Hopefully we can play together again. Leo is a great person, everyone knows him in football and I think he is very happy and if he is happy, I am too."
Neymar has also been linked with a return to Barcelona this summer when his contract at Santos expires. He is reportedly keen on heading back to Europe, in contrast to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi who have called time on their careers in European football.
Neymar on his PSG experience with Lionel Messi
In December of 2024, Neymar claimed that the PSG fans treated him unfairly and that Lionel Messi went through the same thing. The Brazilian added that he holds no grudges against the club but that he resents certain people at the helm.
Neymar said (via Yahoo Sports):
"My first year in Paris was fantastic. I was very well received by the fans, but the last two or three years weren't the same. The way I was treated wasn't really fair. I think Messi went through more or less the same thing. In my case, they crossed the line (when they came to his house). Our relationship was no longer respectful, even though I had always respected them… It was really a complicated situation. I was sad about how I was treated in the end."
"I respect PSG, and I will always support them to achieve the best results possible. I hold no grudges against the club, I just have some resentment toward certain people managing the club and some fans. My relationship with the fans, unfortunately, is among the sad moments. It's in the past, and my conscience is clear about it," he added.
Neymar and Lionel Messi played together 206 times for Barcelona and PSG and had 67 joint goal participations. He has never been on the same team as Cristiano Ronaldo but has faced him on eight occasions.
