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“Better Than Messi and Ronaldo”- Neymar Dubbed the Best Player in Past ‘20 Years’ by Brazilian Legend

Published 07/26/2023, 2:05 PM EDT

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In soccer, only a few names evoke the kind of admiration and respect that Brazilian icon Cafu does. The legendary Brazilian footballer is widely regarded as one of the best fullbacks of all time. Known for lifting the 2002 World Cup with Brazil’s historic national team. He also played in three consecutive World Cup finals, winning the prestigious trophy twice.

Drawing comparisons between footballing legends has always been a popular debate among fans. However, Cafu’s recent comments about Neymar involving Messi and Ronaldo have created some buzz.

Cafu has always expressed his admiration for Neymar’s abilities

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Back in 2021, Cafu openly referred to Neymar as a “gifted player,” acknowledging the young Brazilian’s sheer talent. Cafu believes Neymar is even better than his former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Lionel Messi.

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The former Brazilian captain believes Neymar is the leader of the ‘Canarinha’. In a recent interview, Cafu again shared his love for Neymar, saying, “Neymar is a phenomenon, one of the best I’ve seen play in the last 20 years”. “Technically, he is better than Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, De Bruyne and any player you can imagine”. He added.

Brazilian legend also reflected on his time playing for Brazil, when nobody cared about individual achievements or rivalries. They played for the collective group’s success. He believes that this team spirit is missing with Neymar, where the entire team should play for him, and he should play for the team. In the interview, Cafu also spoke about the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti as a head coach for the Brazilian National team.

Brazilian doubts the Italian coach’s priorities

Cafu has questioned Carlo Ancelotti’s commitment to coaching Brazil. He highlighted that any coach chosen for the Brazilian national team would usually express excitement about leading the five-time world champions.

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Cafu expressed his discontent with the situation in the interview by asking, “Did you hear any interview where he said it would be an honour to coach Brazil? Am I honoured to coach a country that is five times world champion? Am I honoured to wear the shirt that gave so much pride to 220 million Brazilians?”

After these comments from Cafu, the thing that comes to mind is, How significant is it for a coach to openly express pride and honour in coaching a historically successful team like Brazil? Does this sentiment impact the team’s morale and performance?

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Meanwhile, do you agree with Cafu’s praise for Neymar over Messi and Ronaldo?

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Written by:

Sourav Kalita

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Sourav Jyoti Kalita is a soccer writer at EssentiallySports. Soccer has been a passion he follows since school days where he has participated extensively in matches where he looks for a chance to don the jersey and take the field. A fan of the glorious Red Devils, he also ardently supports his local team North East United that plays in the Indian Super League.
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Edited by:

Sherjeel Malik