Neymar: Is Brazil Star the Next Pele, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo Rolled Into One?

At only 19 years old, Neymar da Silva Santos Junior already feels like a veteran of his reputation.

The Brazilian has predictably been dubbed "the next Pele", "the next Ronaldo", and even "the next Pele, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho rolled into one". It comes with the territory when you bring a certain panache to the legendary yellow shirt—but is Neymar the real deal?

Chelsea certainly seem to think so. If reports are to be believed, the Blues are willing to pay Santos £30 million to bring the teenager to Stamford Bridge in the summer.

Brazil manager Mano Menezes thinks it would represent a good move for the player, who he's seen score three times in three appearances for the national side—most recently a brace against Scotland yesterday.

And Neymar's comments last year also seem to point at a move to England.  "A player with a winning mentality like I have has to play in the best places like Chelsea," he said in an interview with The Sun.

If you're unfamiliar with his work, Neymar appears mostly as either an out-and-out winger, or as the wide man in a three-pronged attack—as he did at The Emirates in Brazil's 2-0 win against the Scots yesterday.

He's very quick, deceptively strong for his slight build, and absolutely overflowing with the kind of beach football trickery we've come to expect from Brazil's best. What's more, he can finish.

Neymar scored 42 games in 60 goals for Santos last season, helping them to triumph in the Campeonato Paulista and win the Copa da Brasil.

He was named Campeonato Paulista player of the year for his contribution of 14 goals in 19 games.

Such a start to a career at Santos was always going to draw comparison with Pele—who played just over 600 games for the Brazilian giants between 1956 and 1974, scoring over 700 goals.

But let's not forget Pele scored twice in the 1958 World Cup final at the age of 17, and scored at more than goal a game for Santos for the seasons he played aged 17, 18 and 19. Neymar has already got some catching up to do.

There's also some nice symmetry with his arrival coinciding with the retirement of Ronaldo—a man who was unquestionably the best player in the world at his peak.

The pair are physical opposites, but clearly share the ability to run at defences and score goals. Ronaldo was perhaps more direct, and more of an out-and-out striker however.

Neymar's trickery is what draws comparison with Ronaldinhio, and perhaps even Robinho. Both players could produce the unexpected and negotiate their way out of a tight spot with a moment of inspiration.

So to wrap it up, there's a chance Neymar has a heady mix of skills to compare with some of the best ever to have worn the Brazil shirt. No wonder Chelsea are after him—not to mention Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United and Inter Milan.

A new star of Brazilian football is born. And with that tag, comes about as much expectancy and pressure as any label in sport.