João Neves, 20-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, paused in the mixed zone after the 3-6 victory against Toulouse this Saturday at the Stadium as part of Matchday 3 of Ligue 1 2025-2026. While he was pleased with the victory and his hat-trick, the Portuguese also emphasized that there was one unacceptable point in the match.
Neves: “We’ll improve on what we can improve on.”
“It’s the first time I’ve scored a hat-trick, I’m happy, but as I always say, I’m even happier with the victory. That’s the most important thing for me. We’ll improve on what we can improve on. We’ll continue to play like this. Scoring six goals is good. Conceding three is not… We were going to win 6-1 and we conceded two goals, it’s unacceptable.”
Neves: “It’s the kind of thing I try in training or on the beach.”
Acrobatic overhead kicks?
It’s the kind of thing I try in training or on the beach. But the balls were perfect for trying. It’s nice to score these goals. I’m very happy,” as reported by Le Figaro.
Of course, there’s above all joy after a victory. And Neves can’t ignore the first hat-trick of his career. Especially in this style: two overhead kicks and a magnificent shot from the outside of the foot inside the box. It’s a special moment, which can also help him gain even more confidence. A point also emphasized by coach Luis Enrique in a press conference.
The Parisians can head into the international break with serenity and satisfaction, except that they will also be aware that there is still work to be done. Conceding three goals is too many. The two-for-two late in the match, in particular, when they needed to control a game that was already, at least, almost over.
Neves is right to point out that the victory and the euphoria surrounding his goals shouldn’t make us forget that Paris’s performance was far from perfect. We appreciate his spirit and we’re counting on coach Luis Enrique to maintain this high standard. Of course, we also need to keep in mind that Paris was only in the first weeks of preparation, and it’s understandable that not everything was at its best, both collectively and individually. We shouldn’t overreact.
