Kaka named one player who was the “best in the world” but missed out on the Ballon d’Or, during an exclusive interview with SPORTbible.
Kaka, 43, pipped Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the 2007 edition of the Ballon d’Or and is still the last Brazilian to have won the coveted award.
In 2008, Ronaldo, 40, won the first of his five awards before Messi, 37, picked up his maiden prize the following year before he went on to win eight.
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A period of Messi-Ronaldo dominance ensued with several world-class talents such as Robert Lewandowski, Frank Ribery, Erling Haaland and Virgil van Dijk all coming close but ultimately missing out on the gong.
In most years, there were very few detractors against Messi or Ronaldo winning the prize, but in 2020, several players had a strong case.
During the 2019/20 season, Barcelona forward Lewandowski, 36, then of Bayern Munich, netted 55 goals in 47 games and helped the Bavarians win the Champions League.
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But it was a beaten finalist whom Kaka dubbed as “the best player in the world” during “certain periods” of his career.
When asked to name one player he feels deserved to win the Ballon d’Or but never has, Kaka said: "It’s hard to say deserved, but I would say Neymar. In certain periods of his career, he was performing as the best player in the world, but to win the Ballon d’Or and individual awards, you have to be the protagonist in a collective tournament.
“This was something that meant he missed out. If PSG had won the Champions League in 2020 against Bayern Munich, Neymar probably would’ve been nominated as the best player in the world in that year.
“But in my opinion, he was performing as the best [player].”
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However, no one won the prize in 2020 as Ballon d’Or organisers, France Football, believed there was a "lack of a sufficiently level playing field" caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Neymar registered 19 goals and 13 assists for PSG in just 27 appearances during the 2019/20 campaign.
The Parisians were awarded the Ligue 1 title in April of that year, after then-French prime minister Edouard Philippe, announced that “big sporting affairs” would not resume until September 2020.
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And Kaka is not the first legend who has claimed that Neymar deserved to win the Ballon d’Or.
Former Juventus, Italy and PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon issued a similar stance when he spoke to Corriere Della Sera earlier this year.
“Neymar. For the player he is and the person he is, he should've won five Ballon d'Ors," Buffon explained.
Neymar on why he's never won Ballon d'Or
Neymar opened up about why he believes he never won the Ballon d'Or at PSG, when he spoke on Romario TV earlier this year.
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"I’ve been quite unlucky with injuries," Neymar told Romario.
"For about seven years now, I’ve battled issues that have sidelined me for three to six months at a time. This has hindered my chances. If you think about it, it’s clear.
"Anyone who understands football knows my prime was at PSG. I was in a position to win the Ballon d'Or, but injuries made it difficult. Of course, every player dreams of winning it, but it doesn't nag at me. Life moves on; it wasn’t meant to be, and I accept that."
Kaka spoke to SPORTbible in association with FC Futures, EA SPORTS FC and LA Liga’s global grassroots program aimed at democratizing access to football by renovating local pitches, equipping communities with innovative training tools inspired by the EA SPORTS FC video game, and fostering youth engagement through football-based development programs.
He attended the opening of a newly revitalised community football pitch in the heart of Paraisópolis, São Paulo, which gave local children an unforgettable experience.
Topics: Ballon d'Or, Barcelona, Cristiano Ronaldo, Football, Kaka, Lionel Messi, Neymar, PSG, Robert Lewandowski, Santos, Spotlight
Luke Davies