Paris Saint-Germain director Luis Campos has revealed that Neymar was given a blunt farewell by head coach Luis Enrique before completing his €90 million move to Al-Hilal in 2023.
Enrique had just taken charge at PSG when the Brazilian forward was sold to the Saudi Pro League side.
– ADEVERTISEMENT –
Campos told RMC Sport: “Luis Enrique was the first to tell Neymar: ‘It’s good that you’re leaving.’ He told him face to face.” The coach reportedly wanted a squad built around teamwork and merit in training, rather than status.
Neymar spent six years in Paris after arriving from Barcelona in 2017. Despite winning five Ligue 1 titles alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the Champions League eluded him. Ironically, PSG went on to lift their first European crown under Enrique in 2024, sweeping all domestic trophies in the process.
Campos stressed the new philosophy at PSG: “The star is the club, it’s the whole squad. We don’t rule out recruiting a star, but it’s up to them to adapt to the PSG machine.” He believes the policy shift has given the team more balance and consistency.
Now 33, Neymar has returned to his boyhood club Santos in Brazil’s top flight. However, Carlo Ancelotti left him out of the September international squad despite the forward being fit.