Ex-Brazilian star believes Neymar was technically better than Ronaldo & Messi
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All three stars are no longer playing in Europe.
Neymar is “technically even better” than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Brazilian football veteran Cafu.
Neymar, 34, who has been one of the best players in Europe for the previous 10 years, is back in Brazil playing for his childhood team, Santos.
During his four productive years with Barcelona, the explosive forward won eight major championships, including the Champions League, and was one of the best goalscorers.
After completing an incredible £222 million transfer to PSG in 2017, Neymar became the most expensive football player in history.
With 118 goals in 173 games and five league crowns in six years, the Brazilian continued to shine for the French team. However, the forward’s time with the Paris club concluded on a sour note. He was sold to the Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal, where he was injured for the majority of the time.
This resulted in a return to childhood team, Santos, where he is currently vying for a spot in Brazil’s World Cup squad.
Cafu feels this Brazilian forward is technically better than Messi & Ronaldo
Cafu has pushed Carlo Ancelotti to bring Neymar to the team if he is physically “ready,” asserting that he is “technically even better” than Messi and Ronaldo, two of the greatest players of all time.
“For me, Neymar was technically even better than [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi. He’s had a brilliant career.”
With 79 goals in 128 caps, Neymar is Brazil’s all-time top scorer. He hopes to play in his fourth World Cup. When Ancelotti took over in May 2025, he became the first foreign manager to lead the Brazil national team.
Brazil have won five World Cups, making it the most successful side in the competition’s history. However, they have performed poorly in the last World Cups.
On June 13, Brazil will play Morocco, the African champions, to start their World Cup campaign. After that, they play Scotland and Haiti in an attempt to move to the knockout stage.
Will the 34-year-old play in the World Cup?
It remains to be seen, as there is no guarantee.
What did Cafu talk about Neymar?
He believes the forward is more technical than Messi and Ronaldo and should be called to the Brazil Squad for the 2026 World Cup if fit.
For how many years did Cafu play for the national team?
He played for them for 16 years.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.