Lionel Messi still has to wait for his first goal in Ligue 1. According to teammate Neymar (29) it is only a matter of time before we see the old-fashioned high-scoring Messi at Paris Saint-Germain: ,,The goal is to get together again to make history, just like we did at Barcelona.”
Neymar and Messi have been teammates at PSG since this summer. Messi, who left FC Barcelona and signed a two-year contract with the French top club, is thus following the same path as Neymar, who made the same substitution in 2017. Neymar is very satisfied with the arrival of Messi. “He is a football idol, a great player and a genius, but also my friend,” the Brazilian said in an interview for the Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five football tournament.
What does Neymar dream about now that he plays for PSG with Messi? “Writing history together again, just like we did at Barcelona.” And making history means getting the first Champions League win in PSG history. “I came to Paris with the aim of keeping the Champions League trophy in the air. Our team has now brought in high quality players, but we are still getting used to each other a bit. By the time everyone gets to know each other a little more, we will be very strong collectively,” said an ambitious Neymar.
World Cup
In addition to the goals he sets with the club, the Brazilian team is never far away from Neymar. Will the Brazilian, who will be 30 years old at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, still be part of the national team? ,,I said it could be my last World Cup and I want to experience it in the best possible way. It is better to be able to stand there one hundred percent. If there’s a game tomorrow, I’ll play that game like it’s the last of my life. So I also look at the World Cup that way: I feel like it’s my last, because I don’t know what tomorrow will be like or what will happen next.” He denies that he wants to stop playing football and that he would leave the national team: ,,I just wanted to say that I will play as if it is my last World Cup.”
In addition, Neymar does not want to stop until he has surpassed Pele’s goal record: ,,I can’t describe what it will feel like if I can achieve that goal. It’s really a goal for me too. When you are about to achieve something, you are even more motivated, that is the case with every player.”
For now, Pele is still Brazil’s top scorer with 77 goals, although Neymar comes very close with 70 goals. But no matter how many goals Neymar makes, his respect for Pele remains very high: ,,I don’t think I’m better than Pele or compare myself to him. I have a chance to beat Pele’s goalscoring record, yes, but my respect for him is much greater. I am sure that if I score goal 77, I will honor him.”
For Neymar, Pele is still the king of football, Brazil’s greatest idol. “If Brazil is famous in the football world today, it is thanks to him. We are lucky that Pelé was born in Brazil.”
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