'Soccer god' Lionel Messi (39, Inter Miami) said he hopes his former teammate and 'close friend' Neymar (34, Santos) will participate in the World Cup as he approaches his sixth World Cup appearance.
On the 9th (Korean time), according to the British Daily Mail, Messi spoke about whether his former teammate Neymar would participate in the World Cup in an interview with Argentine journalist Polo Alvarez.
Neymar is working to participate in the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) CONCACAF World Cup. Neymar, who has not been called up to the Brazil national team since suffering a left knee anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2023, has recently had recurring hamstring and knee problems.
Carlo Ancelotti, who leads the Brazil national team, has not completely closed the door on including Neymar in the World Cup squad. However, he said he cannot call him up if his physical condition is not at its best.
There were reports that Neymar recently clashed with Robinho's son and junior teammate Robinho Júnior (19) during Santos training. According to local reports, there was physical contact during the argument, and Neymar later apologized.
Messi said, "If you ask whether Neymar should go to the World Cup, I cannot be objective because I am his friend," but added, "Of course I want him to go to the World Cup and I hope good things happen for him. He is a player who deserves it."
Messi continued, "I always hope the best players gather at the World Cup. As long as Neymar is active, he will always be one of the best in the world," and, speaking of Brazil led by Neymar, he warned, "They are always a strong favorite to win."
Messi and Neymar first met in 2013 at Barcelona. Along with Luis Suárez, they were known as the 'MSN' attacking trio and enjoyed their prime, achieving a treble that included the 2014-15 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League (UCL).
They socialized together off the field. Neymar publicly said, "Messi is my idol," and Messi also described Neymar as "one of the best in the world."
They parted ways in 2017 when Neymar moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a world-record transfer fee, but reunited in 2021 when Messi also left Barcelona to join PSG. They parted again when Messi moved to Inter Miami in 2023.
Their relationship is still considered friendly. Whenever Neymar mentions the possibility of moving to the U.S. stage or joining Inter Miami, the possibility of reuniting with Messi is raised.
[OSEN]