5 reasons why Neymar is the greatest footballer in the world today

For every generation of footballers, there is a pinnacle of excellence, there’s a standard bearer and benchmark to be overcome. For the past decade we’ve seen Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo swap positions as the best footballers in the world, but now neither of them are in that position.

As of now, Neymar da Silva Junior has rightfully mounted his place as the greatest footballer on the planet.

The Brazilian has always tittered on the edge of the conversation but recently, he’s firmly dominated the discussion. The 25-year old has not only taken football to new heights, he’s sustained those incredible levels of performance.

Here are 5 reasons why Neymar is the greatest footballer in the world right now.

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#5 Everybody wants him

You know you’re the man when every single club in the world wants to sign you. You also know you’re greatest when even your bitter club rivals are vocal about acquiring your services. Real Madrid on many an occasion have used their mouthpiece newspaper Marca to stir up negotiations between them and the Brazilian icon.

Right now the 25-year old is the centre of discussion of every boardroom in world football.

The clubs who have accepted he’s out of their price range are now seeking to find the players that remotely resemble his skillset. He’s the blueprint for a star player that every club to aspire to have, he is the measuring stick of football today.

For Neymar to be prized away from the Nou Camp, it’d take a world record fee to complete the job. Only Europe’s elites could dream of forking out £150m in cash for the Brazilian. He’s the dream transfer that will hopefully happen one day.

#4 He’s still young

At the age of 25, Neymar literally has seven more years at the top level of world football

At the age of 25, Neymar literally has seven more years at the top level of world football. It’s scary to think that the Brazilian hasn’t even reached the peak of his playing ability yet. He’s considerably younger than Messi and Ronaldo and he’s already outperforming them, imagine what he’ll be doing in three years’ time.

Whilst carrying a whole nation on his back, Neymar has had to mature at a young early age. Can you believe at the tender age of 25, Neymar is already the 4^th all-time leading scorer for Brazil, he stands only 25 goals behind the iconic Pele.

For him to be cemented as the greatest South American player ever, Neymar must lead his country to World Cup glory in 2018.

#3 He’s the benchmark

Neymar has scored 77 goals for Brazil

Nowadays you rarely hear casual fans comparing a youngster to the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, why? Because they’re not the benchmark anymore. Nowadays if any winger shows a bit of good form, they’re instantly compared to Neymar.

Kylian Mbappe and Eden Hazard have both received that treatment this season, despite their stunning campaigns, neither are worthy of being in the same sentence as Neymar.

Neymar is now not only the benchmark on the pitch, he’s also the figure to look up to outside of it. The Brazilian has amassed several celebrity endorsements as well as high-profile sponsorships this year. He was one of the first to use social media for promotion & financial incentives and now he’s one of the most popular and wealthy.

Neymar is the go-to guy in every aspect of the phrase.

#2 Big match performer

In the greatest comeback in football history, it was Neymar, not Messi who orchestrated the magic

If there was ever a coming of age performance to be marked in history, it’s the round-of-16 second leg tie vs PSG for Neymar. The Brazilian literally gave us a level of performance that we never thought possible. In the greatest comeback in football history, it was Neymar, not Messi who orchestrated the magic.

After a 4-0 drubbing in Paris, many branded Barcelona’s Champions League dreams as void but Neymar had different ideas. The 25-year old went on to score two goals and assist one in seven minutes to turn the tide fully in Barcelona’s favour.

Lionel Messi could only stand in awe as his once understudy seamlessly became his master in front of his own eyes. The night will forever go down in history as the night the torch was passed and will be marked as the birth of an all-time great.

#1 He’s producing more than Messi & Ronaldo

Many say that Lionel Messi has the greatest close control in history, but this season Neymar has surpassed him

I know people sometimes claim stats lie, but this season the stats truly don’t. Neymar is producing magic at a better rate than both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Brazilian has provided nine assists in 26 La Liga games, more than Messi’s seven in 27 and Ronaldo’s six in 24. Clearly the Brazilian is more selfless than those two.

This is also reflected in how many chances he’s creating for his Catalan teammates. Neymar has created 79 chances this season compared to Messi’s 63 and Ronaldo’s 24. Seeing as Messi spends most of his days in the centre of the park as a creator, it’s shameful Neymar is still excelling him in this department.

And perhaps the most important attribute of them all ‘successful take-ons’ Neymar is again head & shoulders above his rivals. Many say that Lionel Messi has the greatest close control in history, but this season Neymar has surpassed him.

Some have also said that Ronaldo’s flashy skills are better than what we’ve seen before, however, Neymar has surpassed him this season too. The 25-year old has completed 142 take-ons, while Messi and Ronaldo have only completed 93 and 21 respectively. No offence, but Neymar is literally playing in his own league.