‘Best phase of his career’ and ‘crises’ – Neymar Sr. evokes his son’s time at PSG | OneFootball

“The best phase of his career was at Paris Saint-Germain,” Neymar Sr. tells L’Équipe. However, it wasn’t all easy going for his son at the Parc des Princes. Neymar Jr. (33) was often the subject of criticism from fans.

He was part of a dominant PSG side that won five Ligue 1 titles during his stay at the club, however, the UEFA Champions League alluded the club during his stay. He was, nonetheless, a pillar of the side that reached the final in 2020.

Following his world-record €222m move back in 2017, he made 173 appearances, scoring 118 goals and registering 79 assists. “He just lacked the Champions League,” said Neymar Sr. However, despite his on-pitch contribution, his off-pitch behaviour saw him come in for criticism. In one episode in 2023, the year of his departure from the club, PSG fans protested outside the Brazilian’s house, telling him to leave. He did so just a couple of months later.

“The fans felt betrayed and came to our windows. But that happens. We’ll talk about the motivations for his departure at another time,” said Neymar Sr.

He then went on to evoke his son’s relationship with the club. “It was a great marriage, with crises, like with all couples, then a separation. It was the same when he left Santos and Barcelona. But you saw how he was welcomed in Santos when he returned. If he came back to the Parc, he would undoubtedly be applauded. In like, you can marry out of love at first sight, but after a certain amount of time, the passion fades, and when we separate, we become good friends. I think that is the case with PSG. No one can wipe away what we did for PSG, and Neymar doesn’t want to wipe away his history with the club,” he said.

Since leaving PSG in 2023 for €90m to join Al-Hilal, Neymar has featured sparingly, with the Brazilian suffering from a succession of injuries that have kept him away from the pitch.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle