It is no secret that ex-Barcelona teammates – Lionel Messi and Neymar – are good friends. Now, Neymar finds himself in a spot of bother ahead of the Copa America 2021 final against Argentina. While speaking to reporters ahead of the game, Neymar reckoned his friendship with Messi is on the line. Hailing Messi as the best in the world, Neymar confessed that whenever Brazil did not play a certain tournament – he always rooted for Messi’s Argentina.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

“Messi is, as I’ve always said, the best player I’ve ever seen play and he’s a great friend, but now we’re in a final, we’re rivals. I want to win and I really want to win this title, which would be my first Copa America. For many years, and every time we [Brazil] are not present at the tournament, I cheered for him. That’s what I’ve been cheering for in the 2014 World Cup final, when he faced Germany,” Neymar told reporters.


Neymar admitted that when you are friends with someone, it is hard to forget that. On a lighter note, Neymar also said that when you play video games with a friend, you want to beat him and that is exactly the same thing the Brazilian wants to do on Saturday.


“Now Brazil is in the dispute, so our friendship is on the line. The respect between us is still great but only one can win. When you’re friends with someone, it’s hard to forget the friendship you have – but for example when you play video games with a friend, you want to beat him anyway. It’ll be the same thing on Saturday.”