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When it comes to the best football player on the planet, the debate always sees two sets of fans screaming themselves hoarse on social media supporting either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. There is almost no other competition, especially when you consider the fact that the two La Liga goalscoring machines have won the last seven Ballon D’Or awards (or the FIFA World Player of the Year till 2009).
So there shouldn’t be anyone else, right? Well, Roberto Carlos has a completely different opinion altogether. And the basis for his argument revolves around what the players do on the international stage.
Carlos is currently busy preparing for the second edition of the Indian Super League with the Delhi Dynamos, who signed him as their manager. And in an interview with French newspaper L'Equipe, the former Brazilian left-back picked compatriot Neymar as the best player in the world.
Neymar is the best player in the world: Carlos
“People are always talking about whether Messi or Ronaldo is the best, but for me it's Neymar,” Carlos said.
“Barcelona's Neymar does a lot more than Brazil's Neymar, because the team is better established. Brazil are building a team for next year's Copa America.”
The 2002 World Cup champion and two-time Copa America winner also spoke about why Neymar thrives at Barcelona and that it was too early to burden the 23-year-old with the captain’s armband when he wears Brazil’s famous yellow shirt is
“The Neymar we see at Barcelona is his best version,” Carlos continues. It is too much responsibility for him to be Brazil's leader already. He has Messi and Luis Suarez alongside him at Barcelona, which makes him feel more comfortable.”
Where does Neymar stand in international stats?
Does Carlos have a point when he picks Neymar ahead of both Messi and Ronaldo? Indeed, Neymar has been in the international setup for only six years.
The Brazilian forward has played a total of 67 games and has 46 international goals to show for it. On the other hand, Messi has 49 international goals in 105 games in a 11-year career while Ronaldo has 55 goals in 122 matches over 13 years.
Neymar is 9 goals behind Ronaldo and the Brazilian has played only a little more than half the number of games Ronaldo has!
Neither of the three have players won a major international tournament. Messi has come the closest among the three, finishing World Cup runners-up in 2014 and Copa America runners-up twice with Argentina.
Messi’s only international tournament win was in 2008 when he won the Gold medal with Argentina at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Neymar won the Silver medal four years later at the London Olympics.
