Pele Says Neymar Needed Move to PSG to 'Show What He's Capable Of'
Brazil legend Pele has said Neymar needed to move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain so he could "show what he's capable of."
Neymar joined the Ligue 1 side in a world-record £200 million deal earlier this summer, much to the surprise of the football world. But Pele, who scored 77 goals in 92 appearances for Brazil, understood why he made the switch.
"I think it's a good opportunity for him, and he needed to move because now he can really play and show what he's capable of," he said, per Jason Pettigrove of Marca. "But it's also very dangerous when you get given that responsibility."
Having played alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Barcelona, Neymar never felt like the main man at the Camp Nou.
But at PSG, and now the most expensive player in history, he's expected to become a talismanic figure.
As noted by the UEFA Champions League Twitter account, already the Brazilian is enjoying his time at the Parc des Princes:
The challenge for Neymar is continuing to set such high standards in the biggest matches, most notably the Champions League. Despite the significant investments made by PSG since they came to be under Qatari ownership, they've yet to make their mark in the world's biggest club competition.
If Neymar can help them do so, he'd be worth the investment in the eyes of many, and he'd surely be in contention to win the coveted Ballon d'Or award. Pele believes his compatriot has what it takes to win that prize.
"Of course he can," he said. "Neymar has a football at his feet which is all he needs. … No doubts at the moment though that Neymar is the one."
Ed Malyon of The Independent suggested the Brazilian is one of a few players with the ability to challenge Messi and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo in the tussle to become the world's best player:
There will be an expectation thrust on Neymar to lead PSG towards a dominant future, but so far in his career, he has showcased an ability to handle that type of focus.
When Messi was missing for Barca, he'd typically seize the responsibility, while during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Neymar was superb for Brazil before he picked up an injury. The early signs are the enormous fee and pressure to perform will not inhibit one of the game's most natural talents in Paris.
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