Brazil forward, Neymar, has told Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, that he would keep their friendship on line when both teams clash in the Copa America final this weekend.
According to Neymar, only one person between him and Messi can win Copa America this year.
The pair are close friends. Both players were teammates at Barcelona for four years before Neymar left Camp Nou to join Paris Saint-Germain.
Neymar was not part of the Brazil squad that won the Copa America in 2019 due to injury, while Messi has not won it.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's Copa America final at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Neymar told reporters at his pre-match press conference, "Messi is, as I have always said, the best player I have ever seen play and he's a great friend.
"But now we are in a final, we are rivals. I want to win and I really want to win this title, which would be my first Copa America.
"Messi has been looking for his first title with the national team for many years, and every time we [Brazil] are not present at the tournament, I cheered for him.
"That is what I have been cheering for in the 2014 World Cup final, when he faced Germany.
"Now Brazil is in dispute, so our friendship is on the line [laughs]. The respect between us is still great, but only one can win."
He added: "When you are friends with someone, it is hard to forget the friendship you have... but for example, when you play video games with a friend, you want to beat him anyway. It will be the same thing on Saturday."
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