Football News

Not even Messi can match Neymar for technical ability, says Cafu

By Mohamed Moallim

Published: 11:58, 28 March 2020

Brazil legend Cafu believes Neymar is more technically gifted than record Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.

The 28-year-old forward has endured another stop-start campaign with French giants Paris Saint-Germain.

How has Neymar fared at PSG? Five key things to know…

  • Neymar joined PSG from Barcelona for a word record fee of £200m in 2017.
  • He’s since bagged 69 goals across 80 matches in all competitions.
  • Neymar, though, has missed 62 games due to various injuries.
  • His most recent setback was a bruised rib sustained in February 2020.
  • Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning captain Cafu feels “technically, nobody can beat Neymar. Not even Messi.”

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Before the recent suspension of all major football competitions in Europe, Neymar played an integral role in PSG reaching the Champions League quarter-finals at Borussia Dortmund’s expense.

Since joining the Ligue 1 outfit in 2017 for a world record fee of £200 – from Barcelona, where he enjoyed a productive partnership with Messi – he has registered 69 goals across 80 matches in all competitions.

However, the Brazilian international hasn’t finished inside the Ballon d’Or top three since 2017. Messi, widely considered the world’s best footballer, is the current holder of this award.

When it comes to technique, though, Cafu feels Neymar is in a league of his own and not even the six-time golden ball recipient beats him.

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“Technically, Neymar is the best player in the world,” he told Fox Sports.

“Today, technically, nobody can beat Neymar. Not even Messi, although I am a fan of him. But he does not surpass him in terms of technical quality.”