Argentina legend Lionel Messi and Portugal great Cristiano Ronaldo have notched a joint 13 Ballon d’Or honors between them, highlighting their dominance on the world stage. But an ex-Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player has recently asserted that another player is the best soccer player he has ever witnessed during his professional career.
Keylor Navas Claims Neymar Was More Talented Than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in Bold Take
During a recent conversation with AS, legendary Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas stated former Barcelona and PSG star Neymar Junior was better than Messi and Ronaldo.
“We are talking about great stars and the best of the last decades, but due to talent on the field, Neymar impacted me a lot. He did what he wanted with the ball… it didn’t matter if it was with the left or with the right. When I saw him in the games I felt that it was like when I played with my children. Neymar is an incredible player,” Navas commented.
Neymar, who is currently playing his trade for Brazilian side Santos, is widely considered one of Brazil’s best players ever. He rose to prominence as a teenager at Santos before the 34-year-old sealed a transfer to Barcelona in July 2013, turning down a move to Real Madrid.
A technical dribbler known for his flair and shooting, Neymar helped the Blaugrana win two La Liga titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy before joining PSG in 2017. He relished a fine six-year stint at the Parisians, winning five Ligue 1 titles as their talisman.
Despite being riddled with injuries throughout his career, Neymar is Brazil’s all-time top goalscorer with 79 goals in 128 international appearances. He is currently aiming to secure a place in his national team’s squad for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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However, the Santos attacker has recently hinted that he may retire from soccer before the end of 2026 due to recurring injury problems over the past two years.
“I don’t know what the future holds for me. It’s possible in December I’ll want to retire. I’m living day by day. This year is crucial, not only for Santos, but also for the Brazilian national team and for me. I wanted to come back at 100% this campaign which is why I was rested for some matches,” the 2011 FIFA Puskas Award winner told Caze TV.
Since leaving Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal for Santos last January, Neymar has sustained multiple hamstring injuries and a knee injury. He underwent knee surgery earlier in December last year and returned to action for his club last Sunday, Feb. 15.
