Thomas Meunier Opens Up On 'Outrageous' Party Culture At PSG
The Belgian full-back, who joined Borussia Dortmund earlier this summer, says birthday celebrations were always "extravagant" at Parc des Princes.
Thomas Meunier has opened up on the "outrageous" party culture at Paris Saint-Germain while expressing his belief that the club's main players are "more than footballers".
Meunier racked up 128 appearances for PSG between 2016 and 2020, winning nine trophies in total, including three Ligue 1 titles.
The 28-year-old played alongside world-class players such as Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Thiago Silva at Parc des Princes, and managed to carve out a reputation as one of the most consistent performers in Thomas Tuchel's squad.
He also attended a number of large social gatherings to honor various players' birthdays, which often took place in lavish locations with scores of high profile celebrities in attendance alongside the rest of the squad.
Neymar's wild birthday parties have been well-documented in recent years, with Tuchel admitting that the Brazilian's 28th celebrations came as an unwelcome "distraction" for his side at a crucial point in the 2019-20 season.
Meunier, who signed for Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer in June, has now offered in an insight into the annual events at PSG, which he says mirror the size of one of Europe's largest clubs.
"Nothing but birthday parties - incredible," the Belgian defender told RTBF.
"When I was at Bruges, we'd celebrate birthdays by playing darts or pool in a bar, but here it's just outrageous.
"But that just reflects the club: hire a palace, hire a building, parties with hundreds of people.
"That's when you see that they're more than footballers; they're stars.
"I always had a good time but it was all a bit extravagant and 'did you see me?' But that's part of it, part of the game."
After reaching an agreement to join Dortmund, Meunier criticized PSG for refusing to allow him to remain on their books through to the end of their latest Champions League campaign.
The Ligue 1 champions' sporting director Leonardo rejected the defender's claims that he'd been disrespected by the club, but he has doubled down on his comments ahead of their quarter-final clash with Atalanta on Wednesday.
"I would have liked to have played," said Meunier. "I was with my agent in Dortmund and I was almost on my knees begging for permission to let me end the season in the Champions League with PSG.
"I simply had to pack my bags and I received a letter from the club's lawyer which said I was no longer welcome and could no longer come to training, not even in my final week. I found that unbelievable."
