February 18th 2024.
It was a heated moment during the game between Brentford and Manchester City earlier this month, when their striker Neal Maupay said something that seemed to have angered City's right-back, Kyle Walker. While the incident was picked up by the cameras, neither player nor their managers revealed what was said. However, a lip reader for the Daily Mail claimed that Walker had accused Maupay of mentioning his children on two occasions.
This caused quite a stir, especially since Walker had recently been in the news for an interview where he admitted to cheating on his wife and having a secret child with another woman. But, Maupay has since denied bringing up Walker's private life and insists that his words were harmless. When asked about the accusations, he replied, "I didn't think I should have to defend myself for something I didn't do. The people who know me, they know I wouldn't say something like that."
Maupay even went on to say that if people were to properly read his lips, they would actually find it amusing. "I'm not going to say what I actually said, but trust me, everyone would laugh if they found out," he said with a smile. The striker also clarified that he was just trying to have fun and get under the skin of his opponents on the pitch in order to gain an advantage. "If I can say something that puts you off or makes you overthink and make a mistake, I'll do it," he said.
Maupay also explained that there is a lot of tension and emotion involved at the highest level of football, and sometimes players say things in the heat of the moment. But, he made it clear that he would never cross the line and attack a player's personal life or family. "People don't realize how much tension and emotion is involved at the highest level. I think it works quite well and if I can get a reaction, great," he said. "It's not personal and I'm sure I've never crossed that line. I try to be on the edge but I don't say stuff about a player's private life or their family."
The 25-year-old also shared that he is not bothered by what people may think of him based on his actions on the pitch because that is not a true reflection of who he is as a person. "People can judge who someone is from a 90-minute game, but what they see on the pitch isn't real life. That's why I'm not really worried about what they think," he said. "You could be the nicest player in the world and people would still find a way to hate on you, so I'm just going to keep being me."
Maupay also pointed out that this is not something new for him, as he has been known for this kind of behavior since his days in the Championship six years ago. He believes that because he is now playing against big teams and big stars, his actions are being scrutinized more. "Six years ago in the Championship I was doing the same thing, but because these are big stars, big teams, everyone is talking about it. But, it goes both ways. The defenders can be cheeky with it as well," he said. "I'm not a crazy guy. We played Wolves last week and nothing happened because their centre-backs acted differently."
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