Home Football NEXT LEVEL: Kylian Mbappe responded directly to Neymar’s critical comments with a brace against Barcelona, without needing to say a word.

NEXT LEVEL: Kylian Mbappe responded directly to Neymar’s critical comments with a brace against Barcelona, without needing to say a word.

Football — 04/17/2024

Neymar hinted that Mbappe is the “villain”Neymar responded to a social media account defending Kylian Mbappe after the French forward helped PSG eliminate Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Neymar left PSG to join Al Hilal in the summer of 2023 for a transfer fee of $95 million. At that time, Brazilian media claimed that Mbappe had pushed out the Latin American players at PSG, including Lionel Messi, Neymar, Mauro Icardi, Leandro Paredes, and Juan Bernat. They referred to Mbappe as the “villain” by removing the camaraderie of the Latin group.

An Instagram account from Brazil posted in support of Mbappe after he scored a brace to help PSG knock out Barcelona in the Champions League. In response, Neymar commented, “Indeed, a self-inflicted disgrace, an outsider.”Kylian Mbappe issues denial that's reached over 13 million views as PSG star left angry by L'Equipe claim | Goal.com US

In this comment, Neymar did not mention Mbappe specifically, but he previously liked a post that called the captain of the French national team the villain at PSG. According to SportBible, Neymar was unhappy about not being considered the team’s main star. As Mbappe’s influence at PSG continues to grow, both in terms of skills and salary, Neymar’s dissatisfaction increased.Neymar's controversial 'like': Mbappe made it clear that the two don't fit at PSG | Marca

Neymar and Mbappe have been playing for PSG since the summer of 2017. While Neymar has played 173 matches and scored 118 goals for the Parisian club, Mbappe has played 302 matches and scored 253 goals. Even after Messi joined PSG, Mbappe remains the highest-paid player on the team, earning $77 million per year. However, the 26-year-old forward will also leave PSG in the summer of 2024 to join Real Madrid on a free transfer.106 Neymar Angry Stock Photos, High-Res Pictures, and Images - Getty Images

At the beginning of 2021, Neymar still considered Mbappe as his “little brother” in interviews. Previously, Mbappe also referred to Neymar as his “big brother.” The relationship between the two players has become more tense since the 2022 World Cup, where Mbappe won the Golden Boot with eight goals, including a hat-trick in the final for runners-up France. The French forward was said to have threatened PSG, stating that he would only stay if Neymar left.