 "Neymar talks about his footballing career and the greatest footballer of all time. Image: Reuters")
Lionel Messi is not the greatest footballer of all time, according to his former teammate Neymar. Neither is it Cristiano Ronaldo. The former Barcelona forward Neymar has picked Brazilian legend Pele as the greatest footballer in the world.
Pele, who passed away in 2022, led Brazil to World Cup wins in 1958, 1962 and 1970. He is the only player to win three football World Cups and the youngest (17) to do so.
Neymar talks about failing to match Pele’s impact
Neymar, who is arguably the biggest Brazilian footballer of the current generation, has often been compared to Pele, however, the 33-year-old has never managed to match the legend’s impact on the game.
In an interview with YouTuber TheGrefg, Neymar reflected on his injury-plagued career and admitted that for him, there’s only one king. And that is Pele.
“It’s not that I didn’t want to be a king, it’s that for me there is only one king and that is Pele,” Neymar said.
“Many things happened, I had many injuries that cost me a lot in my career and well, God wanted it that way. I have no reason to be sad, on the contrary.
“I am very happy with my story and my life. I achieved almost everything I dreamed of, and I even achieved things I never dreamed of. I am very grateful to God for changing my life, and that of my family and my friends. That is the most important thing for me.”
Neymar, who returned to his boyhood club Santos earlier in February, hardly played any football in the last two years. He was signed by Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in a massive €90 million ($94 million) deal in August 2023 but played only seven games before leaving the club.
Neymar’s stay in Saudi Arabia was impacted by an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury and fitness issues.
With a return to Santos , he now hopes to revive his career as he aims to take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.