Brazil forward Neymar has expressed his admiration and affection for Argentina captain Lionel Messi, describing the football icon as one of his closest friends.
The Santos star made the remarks during an interview with DSPORTS after Brazil’s FIFA World Cup match against Scotland on Wednesday.
Neymar also took the opportunity to celebrate Messi, who marked his 39th birthday on Wednesday while in Argentina’s national team training camp.
Speaking after the match, the 34-year-old praised both Messi’s footballing ability and his personality.
“He is excellent on the field, and even better off the field. He is a very good friend of mine, and he knows I care about him very much,” Neymar said.
Neymar and Messi enjoyed a successful partnership during their time together at Barcelona before reuniting years later at Paris Saint-Germain, where they again played as teammates.
