Kylian Mbappe has hit back at his former PSG teammate Neymar, saying he has huge respect for the Brazilian.
Earlier this week, speaking on a podcast hosted by World Cup winner Romario, Neymar had revealed that Kylian Mbappe was “jealous” of Lionel Messi after the Argentine superstar joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
“We had a good partnership for a few years, but after Messi arrived he became a bit jealous. He didn’t want to separate me from anyone. And then there were some fights, there was a change in behaviour,” Neymar had said.
Responding to Neymar’s comments, Mbappe, who now plays for Real Madrid, told TNT Sports Brazil: “The truth is I have nothing to say. I am very focused on what I am doing here in Madrid.
Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain attend a press conference upon arriving in Tokyo for their team’s tour of Japan on July 17, 2022 in Tokyo, Japan. (Source: Reuters)
“I have a lot of respect for Neymar.
“I can talk about Neymar many times, but I want to remember the positives of a unique footballer in the history of football and all the moments we spent in Paris.”
Both Neymar and Mbappé joined PSG in 2017 from Barcelona and AS Monaco respectively.
Neymar also said that big egos affected PSG’s performance in big matches.
“It’s good to have ego, but you have to know that you can’t play alone,” Neymar said.
“You need another man with you. [Big] Ego was almost everywhere, it couldn’t work. If no one runs and no one helps, it is impossible to win anything.”
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga football match between Real Madrid and Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain. (AP)
Mbappe, meanwhile, has struggled in his first season with Madrid but is slowly living up to the expectations that come with his higher profile.
Madrid beat 10-man Las Palmas 4-1 in La Liga on Sunday to reach four goals in their last four games, extending their scoring streak to two goals.
Mbappe said that when he first arrived there he was thinking too much.
“I was thinking too much about everything, how to do things, how to position myself on the field. …and when you think too much, you can’t play well. When you come to Real Madrid you have to be humble, the team had recently won the Champions League, I couldn’t go there and ask everyone to give me the ball. You have to show respect.”
Learn the benefits of our membership!
Stay informed with access to our award-winning journalism.
Avoid misinformation with reliable, accurate reporting.
Make better decisions with key insights.
Choose your subscription package