NEYMAR was spotted courtside at the Miami Heat game just hours after his pal Lionel Messi revealed that he would be joining Inter Miami this summer.
The Brazilian ace was part of a star-studded guest list as the Heat took on Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of the NBA finals.
Neymar, 31, was sat near former Manchester United star Paul Pogba at Kaseya Center, while his former team-mate Gerard Pique’s ex-partner Shakira was also in attendance.
Prior to the match Neymar warmed up on court with Heat superstar Jimmy Butler, while he also posed with the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Just hours before the game, the Paris Saint-Germain star had taken to Instagram to wish Messi well in his move to Miami.
He wrote: “Brother… it didn’t turn out as we thought but we tried everything. It was a pleasure to share two more years with you.
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“Good luck in your new stage and be happy. I love you.”
Messi, 35, replied calling Neymar a “beautiful person”.
The PSG ace, who clutched a Jimmy Butler T-shirt, will have come away from last night’s game disappointed with the result – as the Heat fell 109-94 to surrender home court advantage and go 2-1 down in the series.
Messi may well be spotted courtside at Kaseya Center next season, after he completes his Miami switch.
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In confirming his next destination, the Argentine superstar said: “It’s true that I had offers from another European team but I didn’t even think about it because in Europe, my idea was only to go to Barcelona.
“After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it’s time to go to MLS to live football in a different way and enjoy my day to day life more.”
Neymar, meanwhile, has also been linked with a switch away from PSG.
The former Barcelona ace remains under contract in the French capital for at least another two seasons – although he has been linked with Premier League sides Chelsea and Manchester United.
Shakira, meanwhile, jetted into Miami from Barcelona yesterday, leaving her two boys Milan, ten, and Sasha, eight, with their dad Pique.
The 46-year-old is a big fan of Butler, and last month rumours even circulated that the two may be dating.
Shakira has attended plenty of sporting events of late.
Upon her recent return to Barcelona, she attended the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix.
She also went to last month’s Miami GP, and was spotted having dinner with Lewis Hamilton that week.
While Hamilton’s fortunes have improved in recent races, with Sir Lewis coming second in Barcelona, Shakira will be hoping that Butler and the Heat can bounce back with a victory over the Nuggets in Game 4 at Kaseya Center on Friday night.
Butler, 33, scored 28 points in last night’s game, while team-mate Bam Adebayo managed 22 alongside 17 rebounds.
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The Heat found themselves on the wrong end of a Jokic masterclass, however, with the two-time MVP scoring 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists.
Jamal Murray also managed a 30-point triple double – scoring 34, 10 and 10 on a great bounce-back night for Michael Malone’s men.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
