Lionel Messi's $247M Teammate Reveals He Was Close To Joining Real Madrid [Details]

Former FC Barcelona superstar Neymar has revealed he was close to joining Real Madrid in his early teenage days but decided against it after getting too "homesick."

After starting his career at Brazilian club Santos, Neymar moved to Barcelona in the summer of 2013. He won La Liga and Champions League at Camp Nou, alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and Luis Suarez.

There is no doubt that Neymar would have enjoyed similar success had he opted to join Real Madrid. The Brazilian forward took an extended trial at Santiago Bernabeu but he wasn't ready to leave his native in his early teenage years.

"When I was 10 Real Madrid invited me for a try-out. I was thrilled, I was so happy, I watched their practice. It was during the Galacticos era. I watched their game. I watched a game and I think all the goals were scored by Brazilians. I think two by Ronaldo, one by Robinho and a free-kick from Julio Baptista and another by Roberto Carlos," the 30-year-old playmaker said on "Fenomenos Podcast," according to Goal.

"After the game I got a picture with all of them. I was over the moon. I stayed there for a week, for the try-out. It lasted for four of five days. On the fifth day, they wanted to take me to a championship being held in Barcelona MIC Cup but I quit. I got really homesick and I wanted to go back home. It was pretty much all set up for me to play at Real Madrid but then I got back," added Neymar in the same interview.

Neymar was associated with Barcelona for four seasons. He finished his career at Camp Nou with 105 goals and 76 assists in 186 appearances, across all competitions.

Ahead of the 2017-18 season, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) broke the world record to sign the Brazilian playmaker for $247 million.

Neymar, who is into his fifth season at PSG, has helped his side win three consecutive Ligue 1 titles between 2017 and 2020. Apart from that, Neymar has won several other domestic titles with PSG.

To make his journey at PSG more memorable, he reunited with his former Barcelona teammate Messi, who is also one of his closest friends, in 2021. Messi left Barcelona as a free agent and joined PSG on a two-year contract.

"I know [Angel] di Maria and Ney [Neymar] from before. I didn't know Kylian but little by little we've gotten to know each other and try to connect better on the pitch, to get more comfortable with each other. I was lucky to be with the best at Barcelona and I am at PSG too. I'm happy and I want to continue doing it," Messi said in a recent interview.

Messi and Neymar will be in action next Saturday when PSG take on Saint-Étienne in Ligue 1.