“I was preparing to face Neymar” – Super Eagles-eligible star recounts facing Brazilian ace

Neymar moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for a transfer fee of €222 million, making him the then-most expensive player ever. 

The Super Eagles eligible player, Lesley Ugochukwu, recalled his Stade Rennais FC debut match against Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

The defensive midfielder, who has recently been likened to Eduardo Camavinga, admitted that the match against the French League heavyweights was a night he would never forget as he prepared to face Brazilian sensation Neymar.

Recall how the then-17-year-old was handed his debut against the fiercest foe, and he single-handedly upset the Parisians in his 60 minutes of action.

He participated in the encounter under Julien Stéphan's direction and accompanied Elderson Echiejile, Ejike Uzoenyi, and John Utaka as the fourth Nigerian to play for the Red and Blacks.

Neymar, who had injury problems that year, was unable to give his all for the squad, although he did score the lone goal for the Red-and-Blues against the Rennais.

The soon-to-be 19-year-old recalled that despite the game's outcome, he was not under any pressure and that his sole goal was to showcase his abilities as a football player.

“During the night, I had a little trouble sleeping. I was preparing to face Neymar anyway. When I was little, I watched his skills on YouTube. Once on the pitch, I was under no pressure. I only wanted to play football to show my qualities. Before the game, I thought about getting a shirt from a PSG player. Then, I said to myself: “No, I don't have a name on my back, it's better to keep it preciously in memory” he said, as cited by Butfootballclub.

Ugochukwu has played 16 league games for his French team this season in addition to 7 appearances in the Europa League.

Although acknowledging that he is concentrating on his career with Les Bleuets, the Rennais star has stated that he's not ruling out the possibility of playing for Nigeria in the future.