Neymar’s time at PSG never really kept its promises. Revealed very early in Brazil, the striker established himself among the best on the planet after arriving at Barça in 2013. Then, in August 2017, Paris Saint-Germain blew up his release clause of 222 million euros in a historic transfer which made the Brazilian the most anticipated superstar in Ligue 1.
At the time, Neymar was considered the third best player in the world, behind Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and his arrival sparked immense fervor in the capital. But the euphoria quickly faded. Between repeated injuries, he never played more than 22 Ligue 1 matches in a season, and behavior sometimes criticized on and off the field, the Parisian idyll gradually turned to disenchantment.
For Samuel Umtiti, who worked alongside Neymar at Barcelona, ​​the problem does not come from the player, but from the environment. “Neymar, I loved everything. The person, the player. That of Barcelona was not the same as in Paris. There, there was a discipline, a rigor, because you play next to Messi and Suarez, who told him: “Stay on the straight and narrow.” » And he had a lot of respect for them. He was incredible”explains the world champion in Generation After on
RMC.
“He had different desires”
The former defender goes even further, evoking a possible bad choice. “A bad choice by Neymar to go to Paris? Bad choice, then it’s up to him to say it, but I think he had different desires and wanted to look for something else. I think Barcelona was the team that was made for him. But in the end, every player is different”he judges.
After six years in Paris, Neymar leaves PSG in 2023 for Al-Hilal, before terminating his contract six months before its end and returning to Santos. A return to his roots which only fueled questions about his Parisian adventure. “He chose Paris because the project seemed magnificent. He came with perhaps a different mentality. When I see his debut at PSG, wow. Ligue 1 was lucky to have him”concludes Umtiti.
