Paris Saint-Germain winger Neymar has admitted that his friendship with Lionel Messi will be at stake when Brazil face Argentina in the Copa America 2021 final on Sunday.
The pair, who remain very close to their mutual time in Barcelona, will face head-to-head in Sunday’s final, where Brazil want to keep their crown and Argentina want to take care of the award for the first time since 1993.
Neymar & Messi are close from their time at Barcelona / David Ramos / Getty Images
For Messi, the game represents a chance to finally win some big cutlery with his country, but Neymar emphasized that he is ready to put his friendship aside in the hope of giving Messi another defeat on the international stage.
“Messi is, as I have always said, the best player I have ever seen play and he is a good friend, but now we are in a final, we are rivals,” he said (via Goal). “I want to win and I really want to win this title, which would be my first Copa America.
“Messi has been looking for his first title with the national team for many years, and every time we [Brazil] not present in the tournament, I cheered for him. That is what I have cheered for in the World Cup final in 2014, when he met Germany.
“Now Brazil is in dispute, so our friendship is at stake. 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 still want to beat him.”
Now this may just sound like a playful joke between friends, but Neymar took things a step further by taking to Instagram to tell all Brazilians who support Messi to “go f ** k themselves”. Charming.
Messi finally wants to win a trophy with Argentina / Alexandre Schneider / Getty Images
“I am Brazilian with a lot of pride and love,” he wrote. “My dream was always to be in the national team and hear the fans sing.
“I never have or will ever support any other team if Brazil competes in anything, whether it’s in sports, modeling, Oscars, competitions or anything like that. If there is Brazil, I support Brazil.
“You think everyone who is also Brazilian should be different? Okay, I respect that, but check it out.”
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