Featured Image Credit: Oh My Goal YouTube - Getty Images
Topics: Neymar, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Eden Hazard, Paris Saint-Germain
Alex Brotherton
Topics: Neymar, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Eden Hazard, Paris Saint-Germain
Neymar named former Barcelona and PSG teammate Lionel Messi when he was asked to pick five players that are more 'technically gifted' than him.
Known for his technical brilliance, Neymar was once considered one of the world's best players.
He was someone who brought classic Brazilian flair to the game in an age in which attackers have less freedom than they used to do.
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Neymar, who nows plays for Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, enjoyed his best years at Barcelona after cutting his teeth at Santos.
Here, he played alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez to complete MSN – one of the most dangerous forward lines in football history.
He then joined Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for a world record £200 million fee and in the French capital, he experienced fleeting moments of brilliance,
But ultimately, the Brazilian failed to deliver a Champions League for the Parisiens.
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Last year Neymar took up a fresh challenge in the Middle East worth a reported £129.4 million per year, although in October last year, he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for Brazil and has not played since.
Neymar has played with some superb footballers over the years, so when asked by Oh My Goal in 2021 to name five players more technically gifted than him, he gave a star-studded answer.
"I don’t know if I can answer that, with all the humility in the world I consider myself one of the most technical players in football today," Neymar said.
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Unsurprisingly, former teammate Messi was first on the list, with Neymar claiming that everyone “wants to play with him.”
Second on Neymar's top five picks was Eden Hazard, who announced his retirement from football in October last year after he had his contract terminated by Real Madrid.
Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne also made the cut, with the Belgian widely considered as one of the greatest players to grace the Premier League.
Former PSG teammate Marco Verratti and Thiago Alcantara, who recently announced his retirement, were also mentioned.
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Thiago spent four injury-plagued years at Anfield after leaving Bayern Munich in 2020.