‘Is he alright?’ Thierry Henry reveals concerns over Neymar’s mental health

Neymar has scored only four goals this season for Paris Saint-Germain

Harry Latham-Coyle
Monday 07 March 2022 16:02 GMT
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Thierry Henry has raised his fears about Neymar’s mental health
Thierry Henry has raised his fears about Neymar’s mental health (AFP via Getty Images)

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Thierry Henry has revealed that he worries about Neymar’s mental health after the Paris Saint-Germain forward’s tough season continued against OCG Nice.

The French capital club were beaten 1-0 at the Allianz Rivieira, with Neymar playing 90 minutes but again struggling to impact the game.

The Brazilian has just four goals in another injury-disrupted season at PSG.

Neymar recently suggested that the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar would be his last as he no longer had the “strength of mind” to continue.

That has led Henry to question if the forward is “alright”, and said that Neymar may be “asking for help”.

“When you analyse an action and he doesn’t position himself properly, okay, that’s a fact and you have to recognise that. Yes, he hasn’t been as good, but there are reasons,” Henry explained to L’Equipe.

“Neymar has often talked in his recent interviews about his well-being, about the pressure, so my first thought is: ‘Is he alright?’

“It’s not about him not doing nutmegs, sombreros, or about the fact that he doesn’t beat people with his pace anymore.

“He talks, but can you hear him? He’s asking for help – there are things going on in his head, like any human being.”

Neymar joined PSG in 2017.

His goal output has dropped every season since joining at the club with the 30-year-old increasingly missing periods of the season due to injury.

He was reunited with former close Barcelona colleague Lionel Messi in the summer of 2021, but each has struggled for fitness at various points.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side lead Real Madrid 1-0 on aggregate ahead of the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie on Wednesday.

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