\n
Neymar Jr. has been attracting attention as he was not called up for the Cruzeiro game against Santos FC, as well as the Brazil national team’s friendly games against France and Croatia, as a precautionary measure after pulling muscle. However, it was his past decisions that brought him back into the spotlight.<\/p>\n
In 2017, at the height of his Barcelona career, Ney surprised everyone by confirming he was leaving for France to play for Paris Saint-Germain. Years later, a former teammate shared his thoughts on the matter. <\/p>\n
Montoya reveals what his breakup with Neymar was like<\/h2>\n
Recently, on March 24, 2026, Martin Montoya announced his retirement from professional football in an interview with journalist Rodrigo Rea, but at the same time he also had the opportunity to reflect on his experience at Barcelona and some of the events he experienced. One of them is Neymar’s transfer to PSG. <\/p>\n
Montoya and Neymar Jr. are teammates in Barcelona’s first team and together won a historic treble in 2014-15. Almost 10 years after his historic \u20ac222 million move, Montoya has reflected on how he experienced leaving the club, revealing: <\/p>\n
“Everyone was surprised. Neymar came in young, did everything for Bara, was an undisputed starter and one of the best players in the world along with Leo and Cristiano (Ronaldo). We were very surprised by his move to PSG,” he admitted. <\/p>\n
Reflecting on the reasons that may have led to this decision, Merton hypothesized that: “Maybe he wanted to win the Ballon d’Or, but I think he could have achieved more personal goals if he had stayed at Rose,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
At the time, the idea that Neymar had left to win the Ballon d’Or was gaining traction, but it was not the deciding factor, and certainly not the only one. The prevailing theory suggested that the player actually wanted to step out of Leo Messi’s shadow and lead his own project. In fact, his father admitted this in an interview with coach Boravip, stating that although he had hoped to remain at Bara, Neymar had already made up his mind. <\/p>\n
However, a few years later, Leo and Ney reunited at PSG, with the Argentine signing for PSG in 2021 after leaving Barcelona and sharing two more seasons as team-mates. Then their paths diverged again. Messi went to Inter Miami in MLS, Neymar went to Al Hilal, then returned to Santos, where they both currently play.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Montoya revealed the close bond of the powerful ‘MSN’ trio of Leo, Ney and Luis Sures, saying, “They had a great connection on and off the field. They were very close friends, they had barbecues, they hung out together, they were very close. On the field they were great. They really enjoyed playing together,” Marton commented, dispelling any doubts about their relationship. <\/p>\n
Today, his departure from Barcelona is not a simple matter and still raises questions, but one thing is certain: Neymar’s time at Bara will never be forgotten.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n
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