5 reasons why Neymar will never win the Ballon d'Or

#1 Arguably, there are already young players better than him

Kylian Mbappé (19) and Ousmane Dembélé (20) are two of the world's best youngsters, already superior to Neymar at their age.

Last but not least, this one was always going to come up. With the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly still not finished, it would be naive to suggest that Neymar would be classed as the next generation once they've finished or are usurped at the top. After all, he's already 26 himself.

So with that in mind, you have to question: Is there anyone currently, on the same level or better than Neymar currently? Difficult one to answer but in truth, yes there is.

It's unfair to compare players who do not feature in the same position, so goalkeepers and defenders cannot really be mentioned in the same breath but as for creative-minded players who excel in the final third, there are a handful of players younger than the Brazilian who can make a genuine case.

The French duo in the picture above, Barcelona's Ousmane Dembélé and Neymar's teammate Mbappé, for starters. Both highly-rated attackers have plenty of quality and potential to fulfil as time progresses, it comes as no surprise that the pair were sold for big money to two of Europe's top sides so early into their professional careers.

Then you move onto other players, including Real Madrid's Isco (25), Juventus forward Paulo Dybala (24) and Manchester City winger Leroy Sané (22), who has developed significantly under Pep Guardiola's tutelage in England.

It speaks volumes that it's taken so long for Kevin de Bruyne and N'Golo Kanté (both 26, same as Neymar) to be considered in the world-class bracket, as players who are not immediately seen to be flashy or eye-catching can often slip through the radar.

There are definitely a few others across Europe's top leagues that I haven't mentioned, but it's clear to see that Neymar is not alone in highly-esteemed company. Given his playing style and the rate at which they are all progressing, it's not hard to see them surpassing him to form a core group of players who battle for the world's best accolade in future.