Brazil defender Dani Alves said France striker Kylian Mbappe needs to understand that his Paris St Germain team mates Lionel Messi and Neymar are bigger players than him.
By India Today Web Desk: Brazil defender Dani Alves has urged France striker Kylian Mbappe to make the most of his time together with his Paris St Germain teammates Lionel Messi and Neymar. Alves said that Mbappe is yet to understand that his PSG teammates Messi and Neymar are bigger players than him.
Alves shared a dressing room at PSG with compatriot Neymar and the newly-arrived Mbappe between 2017 and 2019 and also played alongside Messi at Barcelona in a trophy-laden eight-year spell.
PSG manager Christophe Galtier played down talk of a rift between Mbappe and Neymar in September after the French player appeared to irritate the Brazilian by shooting rather than passing the ball for a tap-in during a Champions League game. PSG changed their system last month, according to Galtier, to see how their attacking trio of Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar could work more effectively.
“Mbappe is a phenomenon who still hasn’t understood that those who play with him in the attack are more of a phenomenon than he is,” Alves told La Gazzetta Dello Sport.
“Neymar and Messi are unique: they see and do things nobody else sees or can do. A great player must know and understand who he plays with. Your teammates enrich your qualities.”
Alves, who now plays for Pumas UNAM, said Mbappe should take advantage of playing with Messi and Neymar.
“You have to be smart… they’re two geniuses… If Mbappe gave the ball to them, he would score 150 goals,” the right-back said.
Alves is part of Brazil’s squad at the World Cup in Qatar where the team are looking to win a record-extending sixth title. They begin their campaign on Thursday against Serbia in Group G.
