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Looking back: Neymar leaving Barcelona paralleled Kyrie Irving leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers

By Nathan Beighle

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 4: Neymar Jr. of FC Barcelona poses for a photo with Racecar Driver Lewis Hamilton and New York Giant, O'Dell Beckham Jr. before Game Two of the 2017 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena on June 4, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 4: Neymar Jr. of FC Barcelona poses for a photo with Racecar Driver Lewis Hamilton and New York Giant, O'Dell Beckham Jr. before Game Two of the 2017 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena on June 4, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Looking back, it’s easy to see the similarities between Kyrie Irving leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers and soccer superstar Neymar leaving FC Barcelona.

Over the course of the last calendar year, two superstars in much different sports shocked the world. Kyrie Irving, the longtime Cleveland Cavaliers point guard, asked to be traded from his home in Cleveland, displaying his discontent with the organization. On the other side of the Atlantic, Neymar also parted with FC Barcelona, one of the largest soccer clubs in the entire world.

These two departures are eerily similar, not to mention the fact that the two were born less than two months apart.

Neymar’s departure of FC Barcelona was felt all-around the European football world. Sporting News called his move to Paris Saint-Germain, a “world-record” move. He was eventually transferred there, costing PSG over $250 million in transfer fees. To put that in perspective, the NBA’s salary cap for an entire team this season is just around $99 million.

All that to say, these two superstars most certainly made waves when creating their paths out of their once-beloved cities. However, while separate situations, their departures did have several things in common.

For starters, Kyrie Irving and Neymar both owe their superstar ascensions to their former teams. While Kyrie came onto the radar at the University of Duke and Neymar technically started making a name for himself playing internationally for Brazil and locally for Santos, a club in Brazil, they both became household names because of their feats for their former teams.

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Becoming that superstar through a team then asking to leave is something both players also did. While there were different circumstances surrounding each situation, the results were the same.

Eventually, Neymar got his wish, moving to be “the man” in PSG while Kyrie Irving became the best player for the Boston Celtics.

Neymar told CNN that he had to “rethink” what he wanted to achieve in life. That’s ironic considering Irving told Cleveland.com his move from Cleveland “wasn’t about basketball.”

Let’s also consider the teams that both Neymar and Irving were on.

Neymar was on Barcelona, surrounded with some of the world’s greatest players, including Lionel Messi who is widely considered the world’s best player if not the second best.

Then, there were Irving’s Cavaliers, who boasted the return of the King in 2014. The King, LeBron James, came in and stole all the glamour from Irving who had been barely keeping the team respectable since the King’s first departure. To tie that back in, James is also considered to be the NBA’s best player, according to an ESPN pre-season player ranking.

So, let’s get this straight. Both players wanted out. Both players had the sport’s best player on their team in a situation where they were set up to excel. Both of their decisions were about more than the sport.

If that tells us anything, it’s that at times it is difficult for a 25-year-old (Neymar just turned 26) superstar to play alongside the world’s best player. Can you fault them for wanting out?

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Of course not, but looking back in ten years, you just wish you knew what would’ve been if both these famed superstars just would’ve stayed home.