Football superstar Neymar Jr has revealed that his decision to join Barcelona over Real Madrid was inspired by his passion, not rationality.
In an interview published on Thursday, Brazilian football legend Romário discussed the difficult days leading up to his career-defining transfer, his love for Barcelona, and the emotional pull that eventually convinced him.
“I don’t regret my choice to pick Barcelona over Real Madrid. I went with my heart there,” Neymar said.
The attacker said that he had been a long-time follower of the Catalan club, dating back to Ronaldinho’s period.
“Barça was the team I loved. I always watched, and I always said, I want to play there. It happened.”
According to him, the transfer saga was anything but straightforward, with both clubs vying for his signature.
“Those were intense days. It was two or three days where I wasn’t even training, just going from my house to the office to resolve this,” Neymar revealed.
He reported being split between the two Spanish giants, with representatives from both teams continually contacting him.
“Real Madrid’s people were calling me from one side, and Barcelona’s people were calling me from the other.
Both presidents were talking to me. I couldn’t rationalise. I imagined myself playing for both.”
Neymar chose Barcelona over Real Madrid because his emotions “spoke louder.” He also cited the possibility to play with Lionel Messi, whom he had long admired.
“I obviously wanted to play with Messi!” Neymar said.
Neymar credits the camaraderie between the two stars for moulding his time at Barcelona.
However, he admits that his first few months were challenging. Neymar struggled to adapt, often doubting himself.
“I spent the first six months at Barça with butterflies in my stomach. I was like, I can’t dribble anyone, I can’t get by anyone, I’m doing everything all wrong.”
He recounted one low point that came during a match against Athletic Bilbao, where he broke down in tears at halftime.
“I went into the washroom crying by myself, thinking, ‘What am I doing?’ Then Messi knocked on the door,” he recalled.
Messi and Dani Alves soothed Neymar and encouraged him to play without pressure.
Neymar stated that their encouragement helped him restore confidence and become one of the world’s best players during his time at Barcelona.
Looking back, Neymar expressed no regrets regarding his professional decisions.
“All of the mistakes I had in my career, in my life choices, were to help me grow, help me mature. So I don’t regret anything,” he told Romário.
