Neymar sent former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi and his sons personalized Santos jerseys in a heartfelt gesture ahead of the 2026 MLS season.
The Brazilian icon shared a photo of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, along with Thiago and Mateo Messi, holding up the iconic No. 10 shirts Neymar sent from São Paulo. The 34-year-old also signed the jerseys, and left personal messages as well.
Santos, where Neymar returned last year after a failed spell with Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, locked down their superstar captain for the 2026 season despite rampant links to Messi’s Inter Miami.
“Greetings from Vila Belmiro, Lionel Messi!”
Social Media Reacts to Neymar’s Heartfelt Gesture
As the photo made the rounds on social media, Barcelona, PSG fans and even neutrals reacted to the continued bond between the two players, who won 11 trophies in the six total seasons they played together.
there's no better bromance in football than Messi and Neymar 🤍 https://t.co/c4mVKV8kY3 pic.twitter.com/QxphMtjgDi
— aitana ♡ ⊹ (@aitanabonmatico) February 10, 2026
That’s pure football family energy ⚽
— Anas (@Anus40802911) February 10, 2026
No headlines, no noise just respect, friendship, and a bond that goes way beyond the pitch. Moments like this are why the game means so much.
A gift from Neymar for Messi 🤩👕
— 433 (@433) February 10, 2026
Neymar sent Messi some Santos shirts, and Messi posed with Mateo & Thiago 😁
A friendship that will never end 🥹🇧🇷🤝🇦🇷
📸 @SantosFC pic.twitter.com/BBfWXS86f4
Wish this trio would've stayed together for longer. pic.twitter.com/aF4WZySWTw
— Benjamin (@NigerGooner) February 10, 2026
The two last parted ways after the 2022–23 season, when Neymar left PSG to join Al Hilal. Messi, meanwhile, made the move to the United States to become the new face of Inter Miami and MLS.
Could Neymar Ever Join Messi at Inter Miami in the Future?
If Inter Miami have proven anything over the last few years, it is that they will not hesitate to sign former Barcelona and La Liga stars. The club recently lifted the MLS Cup thanks to the efforts of Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Rodrigo De Paul.
With Alba and Busquets retiring in December, speculation mounted about Neymar’s potential move to south Florida. After all, the club had a free DP slot coming into this year, and the Brazilian was potentially looking for a new home in the build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In the end, Neymar ultimately decided to stay with Santos, while Inter Miami signed former Monterrey standout Germán Berterame as their third and final DP.
It’s hard to see a reality in which a DP spot will open up for Neymar in the future, at least while Messi is still on the team. But Inter Miami have gotten around MLS’s strict guidelines before, first with Luis Suárez and then with De Paul.
Still, the Herons likely missed their chance to reunite Messi and Neymar, though neither player has ruled out the possibility of one day sharing the pitch again.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Neymar Sends Touching Gift to Lionel Messi—And Fans Are Emotional.
