Published on 10:06 PM, August 16, 2017

I'll give you the Ballon d'Or, Messi told Neymar

In a desperate attempt to stop Neymar from making the switch to Paris Saint-Germain, Lionel Messi reportedly promised that he would make the Brazilain a Ballon d'Or winner if he stayed back at the Camp Nou.

Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez -- the trio that made up Barcelona's hugely successful MSN trident -- met at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel in New Jersey on July 21, just ahead of their International Champions Cup match against Juventus, to change Neymar's mind about making a move away from Barcelona.

Not knowing that Neymar had already agreed personal terms with PSG and was simply waiting for the record-breaking 222 million euros to be deposited, Messi reportedly told Neymar: "What do you want? You want to be the Ballon d'Or [winner]? I'll make you Ballon d'Or [winner]!"