Messi and Neymar have been labelled "crybabies" by the former Arsenal star
Former Arsenal winger Robert Pires has lambasted former Paris Saint Germain stars Neymar and Lionel Messi after the Brazillian forward recently moaned about his time at the French club.
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Angry fans protested outside Neymar and Messi’s houses towards the end of the 2022/23 season demanding that the South Americans leave the club which eventually led to both players’ summer exit from PSG.
Speaking while acting as a pundit for Canal +, Pires, who played for Arsenal between 2000 and 2006, was highly critical of Neymar’s claims, slamming the Brazilian and Argentine superstars for “being cry-babies”.
Pires calls Messi and Neymar crybabies
Pires was asked about Neymar’s comments on air, and replied, “I call that being cry-babies,” noting that the things the South American duo suffered were part and parcel of the game.
“Being a professional football player means withstanding the pressure. Sometimes, when you play well, you’re glad to receive praise. When you don’t… Well, that’s part of the game,” Pires said.
The 2002 FWA Premier League Player of the Year also noted that he had gone through a similar experience and come out stronger, saying, “We have all been criticized. When I joined Arsenal, I had to replace Marc Overmars and they said I was hopeless. I kept my mouth shut, kept working and it eventually paid off.”
Neymar and Messi have since moved on from PSG, with the Argentine World Cup winner now starring for Inter Miami in the MLS.