A little over a year after his departure from
PSG, Neymar gave his first interview in France. Indeed, the Brazilian star took time to discuss various subjects at the microphone of RMC Sport such as his departure from the capital club, Saudi Arabia, the Seleçao and his memories in Red & Blue.
How are you ?
“I feel good, I feel better. I returned to the field, but unfortunately, I am still injured (muscle injury after two matches played with Al Hilal, reigning champion of Saudi Arabia, Editor's note). The luck I have is that the injury is less significant today. And I’ll be back soon.”
The decision to join Saudi Arabia?
“I decided to leave PSG and this offer to join Al Hilal arrived… I got the offer right after I left, because I was simply no longer happy there, at PSG. The club and the coach no longer wanted to use me. They had already told me about it, so I had to make a decision. And I liked Al Hilal's proposal. I got to know this club, the local culture and the championship. I was very surprised by my welcome here and the kindness of the supporters. The championship is growing, so is our team and with my family, we are certain to have made a good decision”.
“My sporting years at PSG were surely the best”
Will we see the great Neymar again?
“Obviously I am passionate about football. I agree that my sporting years at PSG were surely the best for me. But it was very sad for me, because I often had very serious injuries that could last from three, four to six months. It bothered me a lot, but on a football level, on a sporting level, it was the best Neymar they had in my entire career. So I'm happy to have been able to offer this to French football, but on the one hand, there is also this feeling of sadness… Because I didn't do an entire season, only the year 2020, when we reached the Champions League final. It really was a great year when I look back on it. I will never forget these moments, they are engraved in my heart.”
How do you judge the adventure in France?
“My experience at PSG was good and bad at the same time… Good, because football-wise, I think I was at the peak of my career. And bad, because I was injured for a long time and often… I didn't finish a season. So there was sadness. I will not forget the great times I had here, especially the Champions League final. They were truly incredible moments. We could have won, but a final is decided on details… Playing in Ligue 1 was really a good experience, the fans were great to me. I wrote my story in Ligue 1, it was good for my career. I am proud and happy to have participated in this. Now it’s over and I have to focus on Saudi Arabia and my club Al-Hilal.”
Could the C1 final have changed the adventure in Rouge & Bleu?
“We must not forget that we took the club to its first Champions League final. Unfortunately, we didn't win. But that's part of football and sport in general. You can't always win. PSG had the objective of reaching the final and we achieved it. Moreover, the club still has this objective and they are fully invested in this quest. It's true that I have already won with FC Barcelona. When I think about it, the victories with Barça remain incredible moments. I would have liked to win with PSG because winning a Champions League is like winning a World Cup with your country.”
The relationship with PSG?
“The first year was magnificent, I was very well received by the French people and supporters. The last two, three years haven't been the same, it wasn't incredible the way I was treated, it's the same for Lionel Messi. For me, there was injustice, because I always gave my all on the pitch. I have no hard feelings, but I was a little sad about the way I was treated by the supporters, especially when they came to my house, when they wanted to invade my house, insult me or want to hit me. For me, they crossed the line. Our relationship was no longer respectful, whereas I always respected them… It was really a complicated situation. I was sad by the way I was treated at the end, but it passed. I respect the PSG club and I will always support them so that they have the best results. I have no resentment towards the club, I just have a little resentment towards people who manage the club and some supporters. But that's in the past. It's the club where I spent the most time in my career, six years. I experienced some very beautiful moments, but also some sad moments. And my relationship with the supporters is rather one of the sad moments, unfortunately. But on a sporting level, it was the best football I played. So I’m happy and I have a clear conscience about that.”
Gigio Buffon said that you were the best player he was around… Any regrets about your career?
“It’s always very gratifying to hear such words, especially coming from one of the best goalkeepers in history who knows football very well. It's just incredible. You train every day, you play every week, your life is dedicated to football to give the best of yourself. And to be recognized like that is just awesome. Gigi Buffon is one of the greatest players in history. We became friends when we were teammates. I never thought I would play with him. I called him “Old”, “Vovo”, “Papi” (laughs), so I obviously have a lot of affection for him. He taught me a lot, we suffered together, we fought together. We had wonderful moments with PSG. But I really thank him for what he said. Playing football is not easy today, but when you love something, you forget everything and want to concentrate fully on being the best you can be. I am now prepared to quickly return to the field this season with my club and the Seleçao.”
Supporters Paris
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