‘Neymar is the biggest flop in the history of football’

Robin Bairner

• 16 Jan 2023 10:30 GMT
• 3 min read

PSG attacker Neymar has been branded the “biggest flop in the history of football” following a limp display in a 1-0 Ligue 1 loss to Rennes on Sunday.

The Parisian side saw their lead at the summit of France’s top flight slashed to three points by Lens over the weekend, with Marseille two points further back, with a defeat in Brittany, in which Neymar struggled to exist.

It was a performance from the Brazil international that has opened up a debate once again on whether he has been worth the €222 million that PSG paid for him from Barcelona in 2017.

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“He had a good half season because he was preparing for the World Cup,” respected journalist Daniel Riolo lashed out on RMC show ‘After Foot’. “He was just in training. After that, it’s over.

“Do we realise that Neymar, in terms of recruitment and salary, is the biggest flop in the history of football?

“I can’t think of a bigger flop for what he cost. It’s horrible. Just because he was good in to Final 8 games in the Champions League in 2020 doesn’t mean he’s going to save your life. And also against Bayern Munich in 2021.”

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'Give him a 15-year contract'

Riolo continued by claiming that PSG remain in thrall to their star names, and Neymar in particular.

He sarcastically added: “PSG have to stop. And we’re thinking about contract extensions for Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos...

“Give Lionel Messi a 20-year contract extension, give him a box at Parc des Princes and he will come to the stadium when he’s a grandfather. Let’s extend Neymar and give him 15 years of salary at the point where we are!”

Neymar has 15 goals and 13 assists for PSG in 23 matches this season, but he has yet to find the net in three games since returning from the World Cup and was notably sent off against Stasbourg on 28 December.