Neymar had to step out of Lionel Messi s shadow by leaving Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain, according to Dani Alves.
Brazil star Neymar made a world-record €222million move from Barca to PSG last year and the superstar forward has scored 26 goals in 24 games this season.
Alves, an international and PSG team-mate of Neymar s, said the 25-year-old made the right decision in departing the Camp Nou.
I think he s up there with Messi as the most influential player in world football. The thing is, he had to come out of his shadow a little, Alves told FIFA.com.
Playing with someone as unique as Leo is the most incredible thing that can happen to you, but there s always that doubt in your mind if it s you that really has the quality or if it s him.
I always loved playing with him, but he s Argentinian and Ney and I are Brazilians. Sooner or later we had to come up against each other.
I think you ve got a better chance of achieving things individually when you re not so close to a player like him. It was important for Ney s own development and for Brazil for him to follow his own path.
Neymar and Alves were also team-mates at Barcelona before the latter left in 2016.
While Alves said he helped get Neymar to the LaLiga giants, he insisted he played a minimal role in the former Santos star s PSG switch.
I hardly had anything to do with it, though I was involved when he signed for Barcelona. I gave him some advice and told him about all the good things I’d experienced at the club and in the city, he said.
But it wasn t like that this time. It was just a case of me getting here before him, though there was a moment when he was unsure about what to do.
I just told him to follow his heart and be happy. That was the only advice I gave him.
