Brazilian star Neymar recalled the two years he spent with his friend Lionel Messi in Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as "hell" in an interview with Globo Esporte.

The two were teammates in Barcelona between 2013 and 2017. Neymar left Barca for PSG in 2017 in the most expensive transfer in history of 222 million euros (about $239.6 million). He was joined by Messi in 2021. In the two seasons they played together, the club won two Ligue 1 titles and one Trophee des Champions.

However, as PSG didn't achieve the breakthrough they wanted in the Champions League in the past two seasons, some of their fans began to vent their anger on Neymar and Messi. Both got booed by home supporters at the Parc des Princes.

"We lived through hell in Paris," Neymar said. "We were there [in Paris] to give our best and be champions, to try to make history. That's why [Messi and I] started playing together again. We got together there to make history. Unfortunately, we didn't make it."

Messi led Argentina to win the FIFA World Cup championship in Qatar in December 2022 and then left PSG as a free agent in July for Inter Miami of the Major League Soccer. One month later, Neymar departed PSG as well for Al-Hilal of the Saudi Pro League. His transfer translated to 90 million euros (about $97.2 million) for PSG.

"He went to heaven with Argentina. I was very happy for him. But, in Paris he lived through hell," Neymar said of Messi. "In my opinion, he was unfairly judged in Paris. He had an exit that, football-wise, he didn't deserve."

Luis Enrique, manager of PSG, disagreed with Neymar. "These are personal experiences. I don't want to get into that. I can tell you about my experience: I'm absolutely delighted. I feel like I'm in charge of a rather unique team with a club that trusts me 100 per cent," Enrique said in response to Neymar's remarks.

Former French national team member Robert Pires went further, calling Neymar and Messi "crybabies." "I call that being crybabies. Being a professional player means withstanding the pressure. Sometimes, when you play well, you're glad to receive praise. When you don't, that's part of the game," he told Canal+.