Dubai, United Arab Emirates TMZ — Could a revival of one of the most famed trios in world soccer be on the cards?
For three seasons, FC Barcelona’s star-studded frontline of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar dominated the club game.
Forging an era of unprecedented success, the iconic “MSN” – as they became known – delivered an incredible 364 goals and 173 assists between them, including a historic treble in their very first season together.
Neymar’s move to Paris Saint-Germain for a world record fee in 2017, however, signaled the end for the vaunted attacking force.
Messi and Suárez remained together for a further three seasons before the Uruguayan left for Atlético Madrid. The duo, though, reunited in 2024 at Inter Miami while the Brazilian currently plies his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal.
“Obviously, playing again with (Lionel) Messi and (Luis) Suárez would be incredible,” he told TMZ Sport after winning the Player Career Award at the recent Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“They are my friends. We still speak to each other. It would be interesting to revive this trio. I’m happy at Al Hilal, I’m happy in Saudi Arabia, but who knows. Football is full of surprises.
“When the news came out that I was leaving Paris Saint-Germain, the transfer window was closed in the United States, so I didn’t have this option.
“The project they offered me (in Saudi Arabia) was very good, not just for me but also for my family, so going to Saudi Arabia was the best option.”
‘It’s my last shot’
Suárez will play alongside Messi for at least one more year in the United States after recently agreeing to a one-year contract extension with last season’s Supporters’ Shield winners.
Neymar, meanwhile, is contracted in Saudi Arabia until the summer of 2025.
There is, though, the prospect that all three could be reunited again on US soil in 2026 as they each seek to lead their countries to the biggest prize in world football: the World Cup.
Despite winning the Confederations Cup and Olympic gold, it remains an elusive trophy for the Brazilian and one his country has been desperate to win since its last triumph in 2002.
At his maiden World Cup on home soil in 2014, the forward suffered a tournament ending injury in the quarterfinal before the Seleção endured a historic, humiliating 7-1 loss to Germany.
Four years later, they bowed out in the quarterfinals to Belgium.
Despite equaling Pelé’s official goal tally for the national team, he saw his side bow out of the tournament in Qatar in 2022, this time losing at the same stage on penalties to Croatia.
Brazil has so far struggled in qualifying for the 2026 edition of the tournament.
The team currently lies in fifth position in the South American table with just five wins to its name in 12 qualifying fixtures – only the top six of 10 nations qualify directly for the finals.
Neymar, though, is confident that under the leadership of Dorival Júnior his teammates can navigate the current difficulties and make it to the finals in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
“I have a lot of faith in the team, in the players who are emerging, who are young. It’s a young team,” he says. “Today, we’re not in a position where would like to be.
“I think together we can achieve something very big. We have a year, a year-and-a-half to work, to do the right things to reach the World Cup.”
The 32-year-old’s last appearance in the iconic yellow shirt came in October 2023 when he tore both his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in his left knee in a 2-0 loss to Uruguay.
He made his comeback a year later for Al Hilal before picking up a hamstring injury that would him rule him out for a further period of time.
Having missed the first half of the Saudi Pro League this season, the Brazilian is now eager to make up for lost time for both club and country.
Does he think he has what it takes to make it back into the national team fold in time for 2026?
“I will try. I want to be there. I will do everything I can to be part of the National Team,” says the star with 128 caps to his name. “I know this be my last World Cup, my last shot, my last chance and I will do everything I can to play in it.”
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