'From the Prince to the genius!' - Lionel Messi & sons get special gift from former Barcelona co-star Neymar

Messi and Neymar first became good friends during their time at Barcelona. The pair won eight trophies together with the Catalan giants, including a Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey treble during their historic 2014-15 campaign, and formed the electric 'MSN' forward line alongside Luis Suarez. Their partnership came to a temporary end in 2017 when Neymar made a world-record move to PSG, though Messi would eventually join his old team-mate in Paris after leaving Barcelona as a free agent in 2021.

They both left France in 2023, with Messi moving to Major League Soccer outfit Inter Miami and Neymar joining Al-Hilal in what turned out to be a two-year spell ravaged by injury. The 34-year-old has since returned to Santos in his native Brazil and helped his boyhood club avoid relegation in the 2025 Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A season.

The latest example of their strong friendship arrived when Neymar sent three replica Santos jerseys to Messi and his three sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, with a post on social media quickly going viral.

The post from Santos reads: “From Neymar Jr. to Lionel Messi. From the Prince to the Genius.

"The Sacred Mantle, of immeasurable value, with the number immortalised by the King. 10 for Neymar. 10 for Messi. 10 for Pelé. An infinite legacy in the history of soccer.

"Greetings from Vila Belmiro, Lionel Messi!"

The pair no longer play together but both remain active at club level. Messi has brought new interest to MLS since his move to Inter Miami, helping the Herons win the 2025 MLS Cup, 2024 Supporters' Shield and the 2023 Leagues Cup. Neymar, meanwhile, hasn't been competing at the top of the Brazilian Serie A, with his side deep in a relegation battle when he returned.

Santos eventually inched their way to safety and will be hoping to avoid a similar campaign in the 2026 edition of the league, though they haven't managed to pick up a win from either of their opening two matches. Neymar hasn't been fit to feature so far but could be available for their next game against Athletico Paranaense on Thursday evening.

While Neymar recently signed a contract extension with Santos, there had been speculation linking him with a move to North America.

Speaking about a potential transfer, former Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel recently told GOAL: "If Neymar is fit, then I think it works, I really do because he’s still a huge name in certain parts of the US. The trouble is if he’s not fit and he’s injured a lot, then it becomes a negative media-driven reality. I can understand arguments on both sides for sure.

"I would assume, and these are smart guys, it would be a tiered contract based on performances and being fit. Having spent some time in Miami, before Messi came you wouldn’t have really known that Miami had a team. From the time that he came, there are pink and black shirts everywhere. If Neymar came, it would add to that.

"I can understand what they are trying to do. You have to look at it carefully because it’s a tough one due to his injury record. But he has that special talent that can really excite some American fans. He can do some special things. I would probably be 55 for it and 45 against."

Messi, meanwhile, should feature in Inter Miami's first game of the new MLS season later this month against Los Angeles FC.