Neymar Reveals True Influence Behind His Switch From Barcelona to PSG in 2017

In 2017, Paris Saint-Germain made a bold move to strengthen their squad, bringing in Neymar Jr. with the goal of dominating the UEFA Champions League.

During his time at PSG, the 32-year-old Neymar made 173 appearances, scoring 118 goals and providing 73 assists. He helped the club secure five Ligue 1 titles, three Coupe de France trophies, two Coupe de la Ligue titles, and four Trophée des Champions.

Neymar and Mbappé also played a key role in guiding PSG to the 2020 UEFA Champions League final, though they were ultimately defeated by Bayern Munich, marking the club’s closest approach to winning the prestigious trophy.

After three more years, Neymar left PSG for Al-Hilal, and rumors began to surface about a strained relationship between him and Mbappé.

Why did Neymar leave Barcelona for PSG in 2017

While speaking to former footballer Romário, the veteran player noted that PSG’s Brazilian talents such as Marquinhos and Thiago Silva played a major role in his departure.

“I didn’t leave Barcelona because I wanted to become the best player in the world,” Neymar said. “In the last week before I left, [Lionel] Messi spoke to me and said, ‘Why are you leaving Barcelona? Do you want to be the best player in the world? Because I will make you the best player in the world.’ I told him, ‘No, it’s not like that. This is more of a personal decision than a sporting one.’ Of course, the financial side was much better than it was in Barcelona.

In addition, there were a group of Brazilian players in Paris like Thiago Silva, Dani Alves, Marquinhos, and Lucas, who are all my friends. I wanted to play with them, so I decided to take this adventure. But my goal was not to leave Barcelona to become the best player in the world.”