Former Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva has revealed the circumstances behind the "rift" which developed between Kylian Mbappe and Neymar during the latter stages of their time together at the Parisian giants. The pair, signed as the world's two most expensive players ever and amongst the biggest stars in the game at the time, shared a close friendship at first but saw issues between them grow over their period at the club.

Kylian Mbappe & Neymar’s Relationship Breakdown: How a PSG Dream Partnership Slowly Fell Apart

Ex-PSG Star Sheds Light on the Rift Between Kylian Mbappe and Neymar

When Paris Saint-Germain pulled off the twin signings of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in the summer of 2017, football felt like it had tilted on its axis. Two of the most expensive players the game had ever seen. Two generational talents. Two global superstars arriving at the same club with one shared mission: to deliver PSG the Champions League and dominate European football.

On paper, it looked unstoppable. In reality, it was complicated.

Years later, with both players long gone from Paris, the story of how their relationship evolved — and ultimately fractured — continues to fascinate. Now, a respected voice from inside that dressing room has spoken candidly about what he witnessed. Former PSG captain Thiago Silva has shed new light on the relationship breakdown between Mbappe and Neymar, describing a situation that began as a “beautiful story” but ended in disappointment.

His words don’t reveal every detail, but they add texture, humanity and context to one of modern football’s most intriguing partnerships.

A Dream Start: Mbappe and Neymar Arrive Together

Kylian Mbappe Neymar 2019

Silva was PSG captain during the formative years of the Mbappe-Neymar era. When Neymar arrived from Barcelona for a world-record fee and Mbappe followed from Monaco, Paris believed it had secured not just talent, but destiny.

According to Silva, the seeds of that partnership were planted even before the deals were complete.

He recalled a conversation after the Trophée des Champions in 2017, played in Tangier. PSG had just beaten Monaco, Mbappe’s then-club, and the teenage forward approached Silva privately.

“He told me, ‘Even if Neymar signs, I want to come and be part of this team,’” Silva said.

That moment mattered. It showed ambition without fear. Mbappe didn’t see Neymar as competition — he saw him as someone to grow alongside.

When both arrived that summer, their bond was immediate.

A Friendship That Felt Natural

Inside the PSG camp, Mbappe and Neymar were inseparable. They trained together, joked together, socialised together. On the pitch, their connection was electric. Neymar’s creativity and Mbappe’s speed seemed made for each other.

Silva described them as two players who “had the most fun on a daily basis.” That joy translated into performances. PSG dominated domestically, and on European nights, the pair often carried the team.

For a time, it felt genuine. Not a forced marketing friendship, but something organic. Younger star learning from an established icon. An icon enjoying the energy of a rising phenomenon.

But football dressing rooms are fragile ecosystems. And success, attention and ego rarely coexist peacefully for long.

When the Relationship Started to Change

Silva admits that he doesn’t know exactly when or why things shifted. Importantly, he left PSG in 2020, moving to Chelsea, where he would later win the Champions League — a prize that continued to elude PSG despite all their investment.

By the time tensions between Mbappe and Neymar became public knowledge, Silva was already gone. But the sadness in his reflection is telling.

“I didn’t understand why they drifted apart,” he said. “I don’t know which of the two caused the rift, but it made me sad.”

That sense of regret comes through clearly. From the outside, fans saw moments of frustration, arguments on the pitch, icy body language. From the inside, Silva saw something more personal: a friendship that simply unraveled.

Pressure, Power and the PSG Environment

PSG is not an easy club to navigate. Expectations are relentless. Media scrutiny is intense. Every gesture is analysed, every comment magnified.

As Mbappe grew from prodigy into the face of French football, his status within the club changed. He became not just a star, but a symbol — for PSG, for Ligue 1, for France.

Neymar, meanwhile, remained the marquee name, the record signing, the global icon. Balancing those identities was never going to be straightforward.

Silva’s comments suggest the breakdown wasn’t explosive, but gradual. A slow erosion rather than a single dramatic moment.

Neymar Speaks: Jealousy and Changing Dynamics

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Earlier this year, Neymar offered his own version of events during a podcast with Brazilian legend Romario. His tone was reflective, but revealing.

“I have my things with him,” Neymar admitted. “We had a little fight, but he was fundamental for us when he arrived.”

Neymar spoke warmly of their early years, calling Mbappe his “golden boy” and describing how he mentored him, welcomed him into his home, shared meals and advice.

But then came a turning point.

“When Messi came, he was a little jealous,” Neymar claimed. “He didn’t want to split me with anyone. And then there were some fights, a change in behaviour.”

Whether that interpretation is fair or not, it highlights how Lionel Messi’s arrival in Paris shifted the dynamic once again. Suddenly, PSG had three gravitational forces pulling in different directions.

Mbappe’s Response: Respect, But Distance

Mbappe, now wearing the white of Real Madrid, chose a more restrained approach when asked about Neymar’s comments. Speaking to TNT Sports Brasil, the Frenchman refused to escalate the situation.

“I have a lot of respect for Neymar,” Mbappe said. “I want to remember the positives.”

He acknowledged Neymar’s unique talent and their shared moments in Paris, but made it clear that chapter of his life is closed.

“Now I’m in Madrid and I want to enjoy being in Madrid.”

It was a diplomatic response — respectful, but final.

A Partnership That Promised Everything, Delivered Something

From a footballing perspective, Mbappe and Neymar did achieve plenty together. Domestic titles came regularly. Memorable Champions League nights followed, including the run to the 2020 final.

But the ultimate prize never arrived. And perhaps that failure intensified everything else. When success is incomplete, relationships are often the first casualty.

Silva’s sadness hints at what might have been. Two players capable of defining an era, instead remembered partly for what didn’t work.

Where They Are Now

Today, their paths could hardly be more different.

Kylian Mbappe, still just 26, is at the peak of his powers at Real Madrid. He is chasing Ballon d’Ors, Champions Leagues and another World Cup with France.

Neymar, after a spell in the Saudi Pro League, has returned to Santos, reconnecting with his roots and hoping to rediscover rhythm, joy and fitness.

Both still share one dream: the 2026 World Cup. Mbappe will almost certainly lead France again. Neymar hopes to force his way back into Brazil’s plans for what could be his final shot at football immortality.

A Story Without a Clean Ending

Perhaps the full truth about the Mbappe-Neymar rift will never be known. Relationships, especially under the pressure of elite sport, are rarely black and white. Ego, ambition, insecurity, timing — all play their part.

What Thiago Silva offers is not gossip, but perspective. A reminder that behind the headlines and transfer fees are people, friendships, and moments that don’t always survive the weight placed upon them.

It started beautifully. It ended sadly. And somewhere in between, football saw flashes of something unforgettable.

Kylian Mbappe and Neymar — a partnership that promised everything, and a relationship that tells us just how hard greatness can be to share.