YEven as ears flow, teams change, and goals are scored, their friendship only grows stronger. Lionel Messi received a special gift from his friend Neymar Jr., but he wasn’t the only one.
The Inter Miami captain received shirts from his former teammates, Brazilian team Santos FC, for himself and his sons Thiago and Mateo, and this kind gesture touched the hearts of soccer fans.
A special gift from Nei to Leo and his sons
The Brazilian team’s official X account shared a photo of Leo smiling alongside his two eldest sons, holding a signed Santos FC jersey with the number 10 and Neymar Jr.’s name on the back. The image was accompanied by a warm message:
The post’s description began: “From Neymar Jr. to Lionel Messi. From a prince to a genius.”
“A sacred cloak of immeasurable value, engraved with numbers immortalized by the King: 10 for Neymar, 10 for Messi, 10 for Pell. An infinite legacy in the history of football,” he added, before concluding with “Greetings from Vila Belmiro, Lionel Messi!”
Fans who saw this immediately left messages of support in the comments section.
“Pride that not everyone has!” one follower wrote. “From Neymar to Messi, prince to genius, the royal succession of soccer looks very elegant in number 10,” commented another.
Another fan asked hopefully: “Neymar is convincing Lionel to play for Santos FC.” Another user said: “This is the definition of building friendships that last for decades and generations at a football club.”
“What an incredible legacy! The number 10 jersey achieved the greatest feat in the history of football. Here are some unforgettable moments from Neymar, Messi and Pell! Let’s celebrate the magic they brought to the field! @SantosFC,” another said.
The great bond between the captain of the Argentine national team and Neymar began in Barcelona, where they connected perfectly on and off the field for four seasons (2013-2017). After the arrival of Luis Sures, they formed the unforgettable and invincible South American trio, MSN, who together led the club to glory, scoring over 360 goals.
After some time apart, fate reunited them at PSG, where they shared a dressing room again for two more seasons (2021-2023).
Despite being homegrown rivals, the two sides show deep respect for each other whenever they play against each other, such as in the 2021 Copa Amrica final, where Messi defeated Neymar’s Brazil in the Maracan, with Leo asking his teammates to celebrate instead of ridicule.
Lionel and Neymar Jr. thus continue to maintain one of the strongest friendships in world football, despite competing in different leagues and countries, and this gift is just further proof of that, reaffirming the eternal connection between the football stars.
On the other hand, there is a possibility that the two sides will face each other at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Brazil will be in Group C along with Morocco, Haiti and Scotland. They will make their debut against Morocco on Saturday, June 13th at New Jersey Stadium in New York. Meanwhile, Argentina will be placed in Group J alongside Austria, Algeria and Jordan and will make their debut against Algeria on Tuesday 16 June.
However, Lionel has not confirmed his intention to take part in the competition and Neymar will need to recover “100%” from his injury to be included in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.
