To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Neymar Gives Perfect Answer When Asked If Kylian Mbappe Is On Lionel Messi's Level

Neymar Gives Perfect Answer When Asked If Kylian Mbappe Is On Lionel Messi's Level

Neymar has played with both Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, giving him a good perspective.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Neymar has given the perfect answer to being asked if Kylian Mbappe is on the same level as Lionel Messi.

Neymar had the pleasure of playing with Messi for four years at Barcelona, and along with Luis Suarez, was part of the formidable 'MSN' trident that won the treble in 2015.

Image: PA
Image: PA

He formed a wonderful partnership with Mbappe ever since the pair joined Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017 but he's adamant that Messi is the best to ever do it.

Still, he praised his current teammate for helping him adapt to life in France.

Image: PA
Image: PA

"There's no comparison," Neymar said after PSG got past holders Bayern Munich in the Champions League final, as per MARCA.

"They have two very different styles of play.

"Messi is the best player I've seen, and Kylian is on his way to becoming one of the best."

It's the same for all high-level players," Neymar said.

"If you're not careful, you risk losing them in a fraction of a second.

"Kylian is very fast, so I have to be focused and attentive to him all the time. But it was the same with [Andres] Iniesta, Messi or [Luis] Suarez.

"I owe a lot of my happiness at PSG to Mbappe. He's helped me to learn about the French way of life, he has explained the French mentality to me. I owe a lot of my adaptation to him."

World Cup winner Mbappe has emerged into one of the best players in world football, with some even deeming him to be better than Messi was at the same age given the Frenchman's numbers in the Champions League and international football are better.

Former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Steve McManaman believes Mbappe is well-placed to fill the void Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will leave.

As for Mbappe himself, his mentality is so strong that he goes into games telling himself that he is already better than both Messi and Ronaldo.

Image: PA
Image: PA

He told RMC Sport: "Every time I go on a pitch I always tell myself that I'm the best and yet I have played on grounds where there was Messi and Cristiano (Ronaldo).

"They are better players than me, they have does a billion more things than me. But in my head I always tell myself that I'm the best because that way you don't give yourself limits and you try to give your best.

"Of course, sometimes people do not understand because I think that there is perhaps also this barrier which is created in relation to this subject, where one does not really explain what the ego is.

"It's something personal, surpassing oneself, it's way beyond this superficial thing of saying 'me I, me I'. But I think there's quite a bit to be said about that."

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football, Barcelona, PSG, Neymar, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

X

@https://twitter.com/JoshLawless_