“It was like a Disney film”: Lo Celso on the PSG he knew

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·8 September 2026

“It was like a Disney film”: Lo Celso on the PSG he knew

Former Paris Saint-Germain player Giovani Lo Celso, 30, a midfielder for Real Betis, retains particularly strong memories of his time in the French capital. In an interview with L’Équipe before facing Lille with Real Betis, the Argentine describes a “family-oriented” PSG, speaks about the exceptional level of his former teammates, and highlights the impact of Luis Enrique.

Lo Celso: “PSG is far more family-oriented than it seems”

What memories do you keep from your time at PSG? “I won a lot of titles there (2 Ligue 1 titles, 2 French Cups, 1 League Cup). It was a huge change for me, and everyone welcomed me unbelievably well. The proof is that it’s been eight years since I left, I wasn’t there very long, and I’m still in contact with the president or people at the club. PSG is far more family-oriented than it seems. Nasser (al-Khelaïfi) is the only president, along with Betis’s, who stayed in touch after I left.” What stood out to you? “It’s the strongest team I’ve ever played in. In training, it was crazy. It was like a Disney movie. I was 20, I’d just arrived from Rosario Central, and I was like a kid with a new toy. Watching them train, the way they treated young players like me, their willingness to pass things on, their winning mentality that allows you to go very far…”

Lo Celso’s perspective is all the more striking because it goes far beyond the results achieved with Paris. The Argentine emphasizes what he discovered inside the club: the welcome, the mentoring, and the closeness he still maintains today with some of its leaders. His memories of training sessions also reflect the level of intensity in a dressing room full of established players, yet still capable of integrating a 20-year-old who had just arrived from Argentina.

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Lo Celso: “I felt like he wasn’t even playing the same sport”

Which player impressed you the most? “Neymar. I felt like he wasn’t even playing the same sport. Technically, he was really above everyone else. In training as well as in matches, he dribbled past anyone, whenever and however he wanted. And as a person, he’s a very good person too.”

Among all the stars he came across in Paris, choosing Neymar says a lot about the impression the Brazilian left on his teammates. Lo Celso does not only remember the moves everyone saw during matches: above all, he describes daily technical superiority, even in training sessions. His testimony is a reminder of just how much Neymar at PSG could inspire awe in those who shared the pitch with him directly.

Lo Celso: “He created a very strong collective”

Why didn’t you manage to establish yourself at PSG? “The club was in a transitional phase. It was Olivier who brought me in, and shortly after I arrived, he was no longer there. The sporting directors changed, the coaches too… I played a lot in my final season under Unai Emery, and then Thomas Tuchel arrived and he didn’t have the same plans for me.” How do you explain PSG’s current success? “Luis Enrique. With him, they found their balance: a coach who knows what he wants, where he’s going, with a very clear playing philosophy. The players are fully committed and have bought into his vision. He created a very strong collective, and it’s solid, united groups that win trophies.”

The contrast drawn by Lo Celso is particularly interesting. To explain his own difficulties, he describes a PSG subjected to several changes in sporting leadership and coaching staff.

His view of the current team is exactly the opposite: a clear vision, a convinced group, and a coach capable of giving everyone a common direction. In his eyes, Paris’s success is therefore based less on the accumulation of individual talent than on the strength of a fully embraced collective project.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.