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We offer EuroFootball.com visitors James Horncastle's article about a possible duel between Lionel Messi and Neymar for the title of the best footballer on the planet.
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It never took much for Diego Maradona and Pele's opinions to differ. Such verbal battles are not limited by yellow cards or the final whistle, so it is not surprising that both claim to be the best footballer of all time. The truth is, this back-and-forth is not very pretty, as it often resembles a dirty tussle in which there will never be a winner.
The latest example is the comparison between Neymar and Lionel Messi. Before the Club World Cup final, Pele stated that his countryman Neymar surpasses the Argentine Messi.
"When compared individually, Neymar is much better, more balanced. He can shoot with both feet, dribble on both sides, and score goals. Messi is excellent, but very dependent on where he plays. He excels in Barcelona, but not so much in the Argentine national team. Meanwhile, Neymar shines both in the Santos club and the Brazilian national team,"
said Pele.
Of course, such a statement can be seen as having weak points, so Maradona's reaction was only a matter of time.
"It seems like Pele took the wrong pill. He got confused and didn't understand what he's talking about. Next time, I suggest being more careful when taking medications and choosing a doctor,"
replied the Argentine.
Pele could argue that Maradona's comments about medications and psychotropic drugs come across as somewhat ironic, but let's not stoop to that level. It raises a rather serious discussion: can Neymar become a more serious competitor to Messi than Cristiano Ronaldo?
This is an important question, as Brian Phillips argued that the battle between Messi and C. Ronaldo has not yet happened. This feeling was reinforced by the last El Clasico, in which Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-1. Marca newspaper featured a photo where C. Ronaldo was seen kneeling before Messi. It reflected the prevailing mood - the Portuguese once again did not match up to the Argentine.
During the 13 matches between them at the Barcelona gates, C. Ronaldo scored just three goals, while Messi scored thirteen times in 16 matches. Another example is the Spanish Super Cup match in August. C. Ronaldo prepared for the season a long time, while Messi only had three days. What made the decisive impact? And again, it was Leo. Looking from this perspective, the competition between these footballers is rather abstract, as it plays out "in one goal," and is not equivalent. The only criterion by which C. Ronaldo can match up to his opponent is the "Pichichi" award, given to the top scorer in the Spanish league. However, it does not affect the head-to-head matches.
This cannot deny C. Ronaldo's reputation as one of the best players of his generation or even all-time. The question remains: is he really the player, if such exists, who can compete with the unbeatable one? Can he make Lionel doubt himself?
Currently, Neymar is not better than the Portuguese, but he has the potential to become one. It is worth noting that at his age of 19, he has achieved more than both C. Ronaldo or Messi at the same age. According to "Opta" statistics, they had scored 7 and 21 goals respectively. Meanwhile, Neymar stood out 79 times in 153 matches for Santos and made a significant contribution to the 2010 Brazil Cup triumph (11 goals) and the 2011 Copa Libertadores. The statistical differences are impressive, but critics would astutely note that the level of opponents is an important factor.
"If I had the money, I would build statues for Neymar,"
said Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger. -
You cannot say he equals Pele since he did not win a World Cup at the age of 17. This player has the potential to become one of the best forwards in the world, but currently the level of Brazilian and European competitions is different.
Nevertheless, nobody doubts Neymar's abilities. In 2009, he was elected the best young Brazilian footballer, and in recent years, he has been recognized as unmatched among all. The forward is also included in the list of FIFA 2011 Player of the Year candidates, where out of 25 players, he is the only one competing outside of Europe. Moreover, the wunderkind's accurate strike against Flamengo's goal is expected to be recognized as the most beautiful goal of the season worldwide.
When speaking and comparing Messi and Neymar, it is worth noting that this also symbolizes the clash of football cultures: Argentina vs Brazil. The question is much more complex than in the case of the Portuguese C. Ronaldo.
Even more fueling the passions is the fact that the 2014 World Cup will be held in Brazil. The whole country will be watching Neymar, from whom they expect inspiration for their sixth triumph in the country's history. God forbid that a repeat of the 1950 scenario occurs, when the underdog Uruguay knocked out Brazil on their own pitch. And Messi will be the enemy. The Barcelona star will face enormous pressure: can he follow in Maradona's footsteps and lead Argentina to glory?
These championships are still two and a half years away, and much can change during this time. However, until then, we may hardly see Neymar and Messi's confrontations develop, as the Brazilian recently extended his contract with Santos and plans to stay in South America until 2014. But does distance hinder this competition? Not necessarily. What intrigues their rivalry is that the former remains in his homeland for a long time, while the latter has chosen a completely different path and left for Europe early.
Let us not forget that Neymar had offers from the Old Continent: at the age of 14, he participated in a trial at Real Madrid. "But I decided to come back. It was not the right time to leave Brazil,"
he said. A few years ago, the Brazilian rejected an offer from Chelsea: "I don't regret it. If I had acted differently, I wouldn't have won the Copa Libertadores - a title that Santos had been waiting for half a century."
This triumph partly explains Neymar's popularity since the last time the Sao Paulo team won the cup was in 1963 with Pele at the forefront. Even more so, everyone was pleased with his decision to stay in Brazil, as local fans were already accustomed to young talents emigrating to the Old Continent before they even turned twenty. In this case, Neymar symbolizes dedication to his country and reflects a growing economy that is able to retain such bright stars at home.
The image of an "unselfish patriot" has taken hold in society. It doesn't bother him that the financial commitments of Neymar's contract to the Santos club are supported by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. We can recall an interesting connection - in 1961, the country's leader at the time, Janio Quadros, called Pele a "national treasure" and asked him not to leave Brazil despite the strong interest from European clubs.
Now, let's compare this to Messi.
He left Argentina at the age of just 13, as Barcelona decided to pay for growth hormone treatment. At that time, the bills presented by the medical staff of Lionel's team Newell's Old Boys were unaffordable. Messi had the opportunity to play for Spain's youth national team, but refused to do so and still speaks with the typical accent of his hometown of Rosario, as if denying discussions that he is more Catalan than Argentine.
However, writing about Messi's relationship with his homeland, Guardian journalist Jonathan Wilson recalled a 1928 article describing a typical Argentine footballer as: "a boy with an unkempt face, hair that doesn't match combs. This is a man with a wandering gaze and burning eyes, as well as a savage laugh that doesn't suit his mouth, filled with small teeth and leftovers from yesterday's bread."
Such an image suits Neymar more than Messi. Even when looking at Messi's hairstyle, Wilson notes that "European discipline found a space in Messi's soul."
The differences in upbringing are reflected in the gameplay. Neymar receives almost as many yellow cards as he scores goals. More precisely, he has received 47 yellow cards and three send-offs from the field. Diving simulation, arguments with referees are an integral part of the Brazilian's game.
Praising Neymar, the Santos club risks "creating a monster" on the field. This phrase was used by Rene Simoes, a former Atletico Goianense coach, who witnessed Neymar challenge his coach Dorival Junior in September 2010. The talent's outburst was caused by the coach's decision not to allow him to take an 11-meter penalty. The club stood by Neymar, the troublemaker, and dismissed Dorival from his duties.
It is hard to imagine Messi in such a situation. Comparing them in this aspect is like placing fire and ice side by side. In an interview with France Football, the Argentine recently stated that when he is dissatisfied with a result or decision, he shuts himself off and does not respond to messages. There are no outbursts of anger. Of course, Neymar is only 19 years old, five years younger than Messi. But even at such a young age, the latter acted much calmer because of the different upbringing.
It will be difficult to accommodate Neymar's behavior traits. Let's remember Wayne Rooney, who still cannot avoid foolish outbursts. However, such differences can turn the rivalry between Messi and Neymar no less fierce and intriguing than that in the world of tennis between John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.
So far, they have met only once on the field, in a friendly match between Brazil and Argentina a year ago. Messi scored the only goal in the 90th minute, while Neymar was substituted out. (The article was written before the Club World Cup final, where Barcelona beat Santos 4-0 - author's note).
"I have always said that Messi is the best in the world,"
Neymar said. There is no doubt that spectators will always incite passions, compare, and look for details. Who will be able to consider himself unbeatable among these players, we will find out in a few years.
Comparison of Messi and Neymar:"
