Sports
Why I Joined Barcelona and Not Real Madrid — Neymar
Brazilian football superstar Neymar has disclosed the emotional journey behind his decision to join Barcelona over Real Madrid, revealing that his choice was driven by passion rather than practicality.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with fellow Brazilian icon Romário on Friday, Neymar shared how his admiration for the Catalan club and the chance to play alongside Lionel Messi ultimately influenced his career-defining move.
“I don’t regret my choice to pick Barcelona over Real Madrid. I went with my heart there,” Neymar said.
READ MORE: Governors Back Tax Reform Bills, Oppose VAT Hike
Neymar revealed that his love for Barcelona stemmed from the days of Ronaldinho, a fellow Brazilian legend who lit up Camp Nou during his prime.
“Barça was the team I loved. I always watched, and I always said: I want to play there. It happened,” Neymar explained.
The forward recalled the dramatic transfer saga that unfolded, with representatives from both clubs vying intensely for his signature.
“Those were intense days. It was two or three days where I wasn’t even training, just going from my house to the office to resolve this,” Neymar said.
Caught in a tug-of-war between two of football’s biggest clubs, Neymar described being overwhelmed by the constant calls and discussions.
“Real Madrid’s people were calling me from one side, and Barcelona’s people were calling me from the other. Both presidents were talking to me. I couldn’t rationalise. I imagined myself playing for both.”
In the end, his emotional connection to Barcelona won out.
“My heart spoke louder,” he admitted.
A significant factor in Neymar’s decision was the opportunity to play alongside Lionel Messi, whom he had admired for years.
“I obviously wanted to play with Messi!” Neymar said, reflecting on the partnership that would later produce historic moments for Barcelona.
Despite fulfilling his dream of joining Barcelona, Neymar revealed that the initial months at the club were far from smooth.
Adapting to a new environment and the pressure of expectations left him doubting himself.
“I spent the first six months at Barça with butterflies in my stomach. I was like…, I can’t dribble anyone, I can’t get by anyone, I’m doing everything all wrong,” he said.
One of his lowest points came during a match against Athletic Bilbao, where he broke down in tears at halftime.
“I went into the washroom crying by myself, thinking, ‘What am I doing?’ Then Messi knocked on the door,” Neymar recounted.
Messi, along with fellow Brazilian Dani Alves, stepped in to reassure Neymar and encourage him to play without pressure. Their support helped him regain his confidence and develop into one of the top players in the world.
Looking back on his career, Neymar expressed gratitude for the lessons he learned, even from his mistakes.
“All of the mistakes I had in my career, in my life choices were to help me grow, help me mature. So I don’t regret anything,” he concluded.
African club football is set for a financial shake-up as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announces a substantial increase in prize money for its top club competitions this season.
According to a CAF statement released on Monday, winners of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League will now take home $6 million (≈€5.18 million), up from $4 million last season. Meanwhile, the CAF Confederation Cup champions — Africa’s second-tier club competition — will earn $4 million, marking a 50% increase from last year.
SEE MORE: CAF Switches Afcon to Hold Every Four Years From 2028
Prize money for runners-up remains unchanged, with Champions League finalists receiving $2 million and Confederation Cup finalists $1 million.
The move has been welcomed by clubs, which have long complained that competing in African competitions often results in financial losses.
High travel costs, particularly airfares, have been a major challenge, with many clubs forced to take longer, costlier routes through Europe or the Middle East due to limited direct flights between African countries.
Since Patrice Motsepe, the South African businessman and CAF president, took office in 2021, prize money for African club competitions has steadily increased.
Motsepe, now in his second four-year term, has been championing financial sustainability and growth for African club football.
CAF’s quarter-final first-leg matches kick off this weekend, starting in Pretoria, South Africa, where Mamelodi Sundowns host Stade Malien of Mali in the Champions League.
Football fans across the continent are eagerly anticipating a weekend full of high-stakes action.
Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has insisted that the £2.35 billion from his 2022 sale of the football club remains his personal property, amid mounting pressure from the UK government to release the funds for Ukrainian humanitarian aid.
Lawyers representing Abramovich told UK authorities that the money, currently frozen in a bank account under his company Fordstam Ltd, is legally his, despite earlier statements promising to donate the proceeds to victims of the war in Ukraine.
SEE ALSO: Chelsea Boss Demands Lifetime Ban For Racists After Vinícius Abuse Allegation
“The funds — although currently frozen — remain the property of Fordstam Limited, which is wholly owned by Mr Abramovich,” the legal team said.
They added that the billionaire remains committed to charity but stressed that any donation is voluntary.
The standoff has been fueled by sanctions imposed on Abramovich following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which forced the sale of Chelsea.
While Abramovich initially pledged all net proceeds for the benefit of war victims, disagreements emerged over who should ultimately receive the funds.
The UK government insists the money must be directed to humanitarian aid in Ukraine, while Abramovich wants the donation to cover all victims, including Russians affected by the conflict.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper responded firmly to the dispute, stating, “This money was promised to Ukraine over three years ago. It is time Roman Abramovich does the right thing, but if he won’t we will act. That’s why the licence has been issued. It is time this money was used to rebuild the lives of people who’ve seen devastation as a result of Putin’s illegal war.”
Further complicating matters, Fordstam’s accounts reveal that £1.4 billion of the total proceeds is tied to loans Abramovich extended to Chelsea during his ownership.
The funds remain under scrutiny due to an ongoing investigation in Jersey into the source of Abramovich’s wealth, which the oligarch is contesting in court.
Abramovich’s legal team also criticized the UK government for relying on public statements rather than addressing the legal complexities surrounding the transfer.
“Mr Abramovich has consistently sought to resolve the complex legal issues preventing the donation from proceeding,” the lawyers said.
Modupe ASUDO
Sahara Group has launched M.A.D with Football 5.0, the latest edition of its flagship internal engagement initiative, reinforcing its commitment to building a connected, inclusive workforce across geographies.
The initiative gives Sahara employees the opportunity to attend live football matches at iconic stadiums including Old Trafford in Manchester and Emirates Stadium in London, using shared experiences to strengthen collaboration and a unified One-Sahara culture.
Speaking on the initiative, Bethel Obioma, Head, Corporate Communications, said the fifth edition of the M.A.D with Football initiative reinforces the energy and infrastructure conglomerate’s commitment to entrenching diversity and inclusion across its locations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Obioma said that over the past three decades, Sahara Group has consistently prioritized people as a central pillar of its growth journey, recognizing that culture and connection are critical to long term success.
“M.A.D with Football 5.0 aligns strongly with the Sahara Beyond XXX narrative, reflecting the Group’s belief that sustainable success is driven by operational performance, meaningful experiences that inspire, energise, and connect people. Sahara continues to invest deliberately in initiatives that recognize effort, reward commitment, and strengthen organisational culture,” he added.
The 5.0 edition builds on this legacy, reaffirming Sahara Group’s commitment to a people centred culture that goes beyond the workplace and beyond geography. By offering Saharians (the term used to describe Sahara employees) the chance to witness world class football in legendary venues, the initiative celebrates excellence, teamwork, and the spirit of belonging that defines the Sahara ecosystem.
Employees who have participated in previous editions have also shared enthusiastic reflections on internal platforms. Juliet Basemera of Asharami Uganda, described the experience as “a dream come true,” expressing gratitude for the opportunity to be in Manchester. Arnaud Ritz, Sahara Energy Geneva, noted that the trip made it possible to “finally put faces to the names” he previously only knew from emails, and to meet Saharians “from all around the world.”
Oriyomi Adewale, Asharami Energy, Rwanda, called the initiative evidence of Sahara’s commitment to work life balance and employee wellbeing, describing it as “delightful” to be part of a company that invests in employee welfare and memorable moments.
Participation in M.A.D with Football 5.0 is open to Sahara employees in line with internal guidelines, with selected participants earning the opportunity to represent Sahara Group at live matches at Old Trafford and Emirates Stadium, experiencing firsthand the passion, energy, and global community that football embodies.
Airfares Likely to Rise as Aviation Fuel Price Spikes by 80%
Shell Completes Turnaround Maintenance on FPSO, Resumes Production at Bonga
Sahara Group expands fleet with new 40,000 cbm LPG Carrier
NATO Shoots Down Third Iranian Missile in Turkey
Inside Tinubu’s Closed-Door Meeting With Opposition Leaders – SDP, IPAC Reveal Details
Defections Won’t Break PDP in Sokoto, Says Former Senator Gada
Trump’s Family Unveils New Cryptocurrency Platform
Reps Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Aviation minister
Dangote Cement Lights Up Benue Host Communities With CSR Initiatives
Senate Denies Receiving Petitions Against Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees
Things To Know About Threads, Zuckerberg’s Twitter-like App
Fantastic website. Lots of helpful information here. I am sending it to some pals ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks in your sweat!
wonderful points altogether, you just gained a brand new reader. What would you suggest about your post that you made a few days ago? Any positive?
Hello, i think that i saw you visited my website so i came to “return the favor”.I’m attempting to find things to enhance my site!I suppose its ok to use a few of your ideas!!
Keep up the excellent piece of work, I read few articles on this internet site and I think that your weblog is rattling interesting and contains bands of superb information.
You have brought up a very good points, thanks for the post.
I really appreciate this post. I have been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thank you again
Great line up. We will be linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the good writing.
I have recently started a site, the information you offer on this website has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work.
I like this post, enjoyed this one thankyou for putting up.
Nice read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he just bought me lunch because I found it for him smile Therefore let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
Helpful information. Lucky me I discovered your site by chance, and I am stunned why this twist of fate didn’t happened in advance! I bookmarked it.
But wanna admit that this is very useful, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
Hello my friend! I want to say that this article is awesome, nice written and include almost all vital infos. I would like to see more posts like this.
I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…