Romario asks Neymar if he’s p***ed off about not winning Ballon d'Or, Brazil superstar makes feelings clear by explaining why he didn’t win

Brazilian superstar Neymar recently explained why he hasn't won the Ballon d'Or despite being one of the best players of his generation. The closest Neymar has come to winning the coveted award was in 2015 and 2017 when he finished third in the rankings.

Neymar was arguably one of the best players on the planet during his prime. The Brazilian forward caught the world's attention for the first time when he scored goals for fun at Brazilian outfit Santos.

His performances led to a big-money move to Barcelona in 2013, where he combined with the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez to form one of the deadliest attacking trios (MSN) in world football. In 2017, he left the Catalan giants and joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a record-breaking reported transfer fee of €222 million.

In an interview with Brazilian legend Romario (quoted by @GingaBonitoHub on X), Neymar blamed his injuries when asked why he failed to win the Ballon d'Or. He said:

"Today I think I was unlucky with the injuries. It’s like 7 years straight that I get injured. They’re injuries that take me out for 3 months, 6 months. That is what hindered me. If you stop & think about it."

Alluding to his time at PSG, the 32-year-old commented that he would have won the Ballon d'Or if he wasn't bogged down by injuries.

"Anyone that knows about football knows my prime, my peak was at PSG. Playing the way I was at PSG, I would absolutely win a Ballon d’Or. I am certain about this. But I had those injuries, they harmed me. Obviously every player wants to win one & have one at home but it’s not something that bothers me. Life goes on, God didn’t want it, that’s fine,” concluded the Brazilian superstar.

At PSG, Neymar combined with Kylian Mbappe and, later, Lionel Messi, to form another iconic trio after MSN. In 173 games played for PSG across competitions, Neymar registered 118 goals and 77 assists. However, the one trophy that always eluded him at the club was the UEFA Champions League. The closest Neymar got to winning it was in 2020 when they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich in the final.

At present, the Brazilian plays for the Saudi Pro League powerhouse Al-Hilal. However, his time in the Middle East has been dominated by injuries. Since August 2023, he has been sidelined for a total of 474 days, missing 68 games in the process. He has played just seven games for the Blue Waves, scoring a solitary goal and creating three more.

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Ex-Barcelona chief Javier Bordas highlights why Neymar didn't win the Ballon d'Or

FC Barcelona v Real Sociedad de Futbol - La Liga - Source: Getty

Former Barcelona chief Javier Bordas has explained what Neymar should have done to win the coveted Ballon d'Or. The Brazilian is widely considered one of the most gifted players of this generation to have never won the Ballon d'Or.

Neymar's flair on the pitch and his record-setting output in terms of goals and assists made him one of the most feared forwards in Europe in his prime. Overall, he played 186 games across competitions for the Catalan giants, racking up 105 goals and 76 assists. The Brazilian was part of an iconic Barcelona side that won the treble in the 2014-15 season.

In an interview with SPORT (h/t Le10Sport), Bordas opined that the Brazilian would have won the award if he returned to Barcelona.

“I would have liked him to stay and there were options for him to come back,” Bordas said. “If he had come back, he would have won the Ballon d’Or with Barca. He wanted to come back so much that a few weeks after his departure, he already wanted to come back.”

The Brazilian's teammate and friend Lionel Messi is the most decorated Ballon d'Or recipient in history with eight wins to his name.