NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Brazilian icon Cafu has sensationally claimed Neymar is technically superior to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as he backs the striker to lead the Selecao at the upcoming World Cup.
The legendary right-back, who remains the only man to have played in three consecutive World Cup finals, believes an in-form Neymar remains the ultimate difference maker for the Brazil national team.
Neymar is well past his peak
Neymar was once considered the heir to the Messi-Ronaldo throne, but the Ballon d’Or has always eluded him, and after seeing his career halted by numerous injuries, the 34-year-old is now struggling to find his best form at Santos. He has been an icon of Brazilian football since his first stint at Santos, but his maturity and focus off the pitch have often been questioned. With the World Cup fast approaching, the pressure remains on Neymar to force his way into Carlo Ancelotti’s team as Brazil aim for their first world crown since 2002.
Technical superiority over the GOATs
Although Neymar has faced a series of fitness problems in recent seasons, former AC Milan defender Cafu insists the former Barcelona man’s ceiling has always been higher than that of Messi and Ronaldo.
“For me, Neymar was technically even better than [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi,” said the Brazilian legend. The times. “He had a brilliant career.”
Asked about Neymar’s prospects for the World Cup, Cafu added: “Any team that has a decisive player like Neymar needs that player. If Neymar is in good shape – physically, tactically and technically – it is obvious that he is a player who decides matches. But only Ancelotti can decide and only Neymar can know if he is ready.”
Ancelotti and the Brazilian transition
The Seleçao enters a new era under the leadership of Ancelotti, the first foreigner to lead the national team alone.
“I’m comfortable with it,” Cafu said. “Ancelotti is the most Brazilian Italian coach there has ever been because he has worked with many Brazilian players. Brazil has modernized. Most of the best Brazilian players play in Europe and Ancelotti is European, but that doesn’t mean Brazilian football is European football. The Brazilian essence will always be there.” Ancelotti himself has aimed for a balance for the team, stating that he wants “an Italian defense and a Brazilian attack”, a strategy which Cafu believes “can work well”.
Managing the pressure of the World Cup
Pressure is a constant companion for the Brazilian national team, especially as they seek to avoid going six consecutive tournaments without a victory. Cafu recalled how his legendary team handled the weight of expectations. Surprisingly, it was an impromptu game of golf in a hotel corridor on the eve of their final victory against Germany.
“We played golf,” Cafu joked. “We were in our hotel before the 2002 final and everyone was chatting. Ronaldinho had a ball and a club in his room, which a team had given him as a gift. He took a plastic cup, put it in the hallway and started trying to throw the ball into the cup. I’m bad at golf, but everyone was playing – me, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Lúcio, Roque Júnior, Edmilson. We “We stayed in this hallway for maybe an hour and a half. It was the day before the World Cup final and we were playing golf for fun.”
Report by GOAL.
