Kylian Mbappé’s name is synonymous with effortless brilliance, but even the most legendary players have been forced to confront the sheer weight of his talent. For Neymar, the experience of sharing the Paris Saint-Germain dressing room with Mbappé was not just challenging—it was, in his own words, ‘hell.’
The two played 136 games together between 2017 and 2023, a period that saw PSG dominate French football with unprecedented consistency. Yet behind the trophies and headlines, the dynamic between them was far from harmonious. Neymar, who had spent years at Barcelona—where he was once the club’s undisputed star—found himself in an unfamiliar position: no longer the most dominant force on the pitch. Mbappé’s arrival changed everything. Where Neymar thrived on creativity and individual flair, Mbappé’s precision, work rate, and finishing ability made him a constant threat. The Brazilian has since reflected on how the young Frenchman’s relentless efficiency forced him to adapt, or risk being overshadowed.
The most striking example came during a training session where Mbappé’s consistency was put on full display. While Neymar and another teammate managed six or seven goals from ten attempts, Mbappé repeated the same goal nine times in a row—each shot identical in execution, each one finding the net. The message was clear: even in controlled environments, Mbappé’s mastery was unmatched. Ansu Fati, who also shared the Barcelona dressing room with Messi, echoed this sentiment when describing the experience of playing against the Argentine icon. For Neymar, the comparison was inevitable. At PSG, he was no longer the most feared striker in Europe—Mbappé had taken that mantle.
The fallout of this rivalry extended beyond individual performances. Mbappé’s rise at PSG coincided with Neymar’s own decline in form, partly due to injuries and the pressure of living up to his legacy. The Brazilian’s eventual departure for Saudi Arabia in 2023 was framed as a fresh start, but the truth was more complex: he had spent years playing second fiddle to a player who made him look ordinary by comparison. Mbappé, meanwhile, has since cemented his status as one of the game’s most complete forwards, his time at PSG serving as the foundation for his current dominance at Real Madrid. For Neymar, the lessons were harsh but necessary. Playing with Mbappé wasn’t just about competition—it was a masterclass in what it takes to be great, and why some players simply cannot keep up.
Now, as Neymar hangs up his boots for Brazil’s national team, the memories of those PSG years—both the triumphs and the frustrations—will linger. Mbappé’s arrival didn’t just change the club; it redefined what was possible for a striker. And for Neymar, the hardest part wasn’t the trophies he won alongside him. It was the moments he lost to him.
