Roberto Carlos Claims Neymar Is Better Than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Real Madrid and Brazil legend Roberto Carlos claimed he prefers Barcelona star Neymar to his team-mate Lionel Messi or Los Blancos icon Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to AS, when answering who is the "best," Carlos said: "People are always talking about the same thing [Messi and Ronaldo] but for me it’s Neymar. Barcelona’s Neymar does a lot more than Brazil’s Neymar because the team is better established. Brazil are building a team for the Copa America."
The 42-year-old has spoken highly of Neymar in the past in comparison to the two Ballon d'Or winners, and the three were unsurprisingly among the top performers in world football last season.
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Per AS' report, former Madrid and Barca star Luis Figo also had his say, believing the perpetual comparison between Messi and Ronaldo "isn't very positive," and he added that deciding between the pair is "like choosing between white truffle and caviar."
Neymar racked up 39 goals and 11 assists in all competitions during the 2014-15 campaign, which while significantly short of Ronaldo's 61 and 22 and Messi's 58 and 31, respectively, was still an incredible achievement.
Being Carlos' compatriot and the current captain of Brazil's national side, the former left-back's comments are unsurprising, despite the fact many would disagree with his assertion at this moment in time.
Nevertheless, the hefty gap between the players' contributions also serves as a reminder that Messi and Ronaldo are still some way ahead of Neymar.
The 23-year-old has a significant time advantage over his rivals as he is just 23, compared with Messi at 28 and Ronaldo at 30. While neither are showing any signs of slowing down, in all likelihood, Neymar will continue to get better and close that gap as he approaches what will probably be his peak years.
The forward stands an excellent chance of being considered the best player in the world in future, but at the moment, Carlos' comments should be taken with a healthy pinch of salt.
