In an exclusive interview with Romario, Neymar talked about his past experiences at many clubs, his choice to leave Barcelona and move to Paris, as well as his relationship with his old teammate Messi and others. Future plans were discussed.
Neymar tells Romário: “I don't regret my career”.
“All the mistakes I made in my career and in my life choices were to help me grow and mature so that I don't regret anything.
“I don't regret my choice to choose Barcelona over Real Madrid. I went there with my heart.
“I clearly wanted to play with Messi! Barça was the team I loved. I always watched, since the Ronaldinho era I always said: I want to play there. It happened.”
“Those were intense days. It was two or three days where I wasn't even training, I just went from my house to the office to sort this out. It was the people from Real Madrid who called me from one side and the people of Barcelona who called me from the other side.” Both presidents talked to me. I couldn't rationalize it. I imagined myself playing both. But then my heart spoke louder.
Before the dynasty
“I don't regret my choice to choose Barcelona over Real Madrid. I went there with my heart.
“I clearly wanted to play with Messi! Barça was the team I loved. I always watched, since the Ronaldinho era I always said: I want to play there. It happened.”
“Those were intense days. It was two or three days where I wasn't even training, I just went from my house to the office to sort this out. It was the people from Real Madrid who called me from one side and the people of Barcelona who called me from the other side.” Both presidents talked to me. I couldn't rationalize it. I imagined myself playing both. But then my heart spoke louder.
Time in Barcelona
Neymar tells Romário: “I spent the first six months at Barça with butterflies in my stomach. I thought… f*ck, I can't dribble anyone, I can't pass anyone, I'm doing everything all wrong!” .
“There was a day when I was so desperate. It was half way. I remember it to this day, it was against Athletic Bilbao, I went into the dressing room, angry with myself. I played so bad. I went to the washroom crying to myself thinking “what am I doing?”. Then I knocked on the door and it was Messi.
“He asked me: why are you crying? I said no, I'm fine, I'm good”.
“Then Dani Alves came and Messi said: Calm down, we are 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 feel more confident. I feel like playing more and everything started going well!”
Barca departure
“I didn't leave Barça to become the best in the world at PSG.
“Messi said to me: 'Why are you leaving? Do you want to be the best player in the world? I can make you the best player in the world.'
“I told him no. It's not that. It's a personal thing. Financially it was clearly better than what I had at Barcelona… and there were Brazilians there too.”
“I wanted to play with the Brazilians. There was Thiago Silva, Dani Alves who had just been signed, Marquinhos and Lucas Moura. They were all my friends.”
Things between Mbappe and Messi
Neymar says: “Mbappe wasn't annoying! When Messi came, I think he got a little jealous…
“I had my stuff with him, we had a little bit of a fight. He was a boy who was key in the beginning, I called him 'Golden Boy', I was talked to him, played with him, told him he's would be one of the best, I always help, always had conversations with him.
“When Leo arrived, he got a little jealous. He didn't want to share me with anyone! [laughs] That's how the fighting started, the change in behavior.”
What went wrong at PSG?
“What went wrong at PSG? Ego. Ego.
“I think it's good to have an ego, to think you're the best… but you have to realize that you shouldn't play alone.
“If everyone doesn't help, it's impossible to win anything these days.”
Future thoughts
Neymar: “Saudi Arabia has surprised me. The possibility of me staying in Saudi Arabia after my contract expires.
“Let's see, a lot can change in six months…,” he told Romário.
Comments