Neymar says his Paris Saint-Germain peak surpassed Barcelona glory

Neymar has surprised Barcelona supporters by saying his best period as an individual player came during his time at Paris Saint-Germain, rather than during the four seasons he spent at the Catalan club.

The Brazilian forward became part of one of football’s most celebrated attacking partnerships at Barcelona, forming the famous MSN front three with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. Together, they helped the club win the treble under manager Luis Enrique, including the Champions League in 2015.

Despite those achievements, and the memorable moments he shared with Messi and Suarez at Camp Nou, Neymar believes his personal level was higher in France.

“I know people remember my time at Barcelona with MSN, but as a player my best period was at Paris Saint-Germain, where I felt strong, fast and intelligent,” Neymar said.

His comments came during a conversation with content creator Davo Xeneize, reported by Sport, in which he was asked to compare his two spells. The remarks are likely to surprise Barcelona fans, who continue to look back fondly on the period when Luis Enrique’s side won major honours with Neymar, Messi and Suarez leading the attack.

Neymar joined Barcelona from Santos and spent four seasons at the club. His performances helped establish him as one of the most creative forwards in European football, and he was widely regarded as possibly the best player in the world behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

His time at Barcelona was also defined by collective success. Alongside Messi and Suarez, he was central to the side that completed the treble in 2015, with victory in the Champions League forming the highlight of that campaign.

Neymar moved to Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona and, in his own assessment, found that he reached a higher individual level there. His explanation focused on his physical and mental state rather than the trophies won by either team.

During the same discussion, Neymar also suggested that he would want to step away from football completely after retiring. He said he did not particularly enjoy watching football matches, indicating that his relationship with the sport could change significantly once his playing career ends.

The comments add to Neymar’s long list of statements that have prompted debate among supporters. While his Barcelona years remain closely associated with the success of MSN and the club’s 2015 Champions League triumph, Neymar’s own preference is for the period in which he felt stronger, quicker and more intelligent as an individual player.