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Barcelona winger Raphinha has hailed Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Neymar Jr. and named him the best player in the world.
The world's most expensive player is having a prolific season, as he has registered 15 goals and 12 assists in 19 appearances for the Parisians. He has helped the club secure a five-point lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table above second-placed Lens.
Since joining the club for €222 million from Barca in 2017, he has scored 115 goals and provided 72 assists in 163 matches for PSG.
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He will now look to help Brazil lift their sixth FIFA World Cup title in the upcoming tournament in Qatar. The Selecaos have not won the prestigious trophy since 2002.
Ahead of the grand tournament, his compatriot and Barcelona winger Raphinha heaped praise on Neymar. He said (via Paris Fans):
“The best player in the world? Neymar. I always go with the Brazilians, but not only for that: I think he is the best for what he does on the pitch, although many people keep talking badly about him, but he is a great footballer and a great person.”
Raphinha joined Barcelona from Leeds United in the summer and has registered two goals and four assists in 18 appearances across all competitions.
He will hope to break into Tite's starting XI alongside Neymar at the Qatar World Cup. Le Selecao have been drawn alongside Serbia, Switzerland, and Cameroon in Group G of the tournament.
Neymar on his good start to the 2022-23 campaign with PSG
The Brazilian has been injury prone in recent seasons, hampering his impact on the team. He registered 13 goals and eight assists in 28 matches for PSG in all competitions last season.
However, the former Barcelona man hasn't missed a game so far this season due to injury. Sharing the reasons behind his excellent campaign so far, he told Prime Video France (via PSG Talk):
“I feel very good right now. The last few years I had several serious injuries that handicapped me. I’m happy to be able to play football again like I do now. I’m enjoying it.”
The Parisians will face Auxerre at the Parc des Princes in their final game before club football takes a break for the FIFA World Cup.
