There is no doubt that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been the biggest stars in soccer over the past two decades. In that same group, however, there could have been a third member: Neymar. Still, Brazil teammate Casemiro spoke about the reason why that never fully happened.
“For me, from my generation, the best were Cristiano, Messi, and Neymar,” Casemiro began during a conversation on the YouTube channel of former Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand. “Neymar is maybe a little below them because he didn’t win many titles.”
That argument has some merit. At the collective level, the Brazilian forward has enjoyed an extremely successful career, winning 31 trophies with Santos, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Al Hilal, and the Brazil national team. That puts him reasonably close to Messi’s 47 titles — the most by any player in soccer history — and Ronaldo’s 35.
However, it is in the individual honors where the comparison becomes difficult to sustain. While Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or awards and three FIFA The Best honors, Cristiano has claimed two FIFA awards and five Ballon d’Or trophies. Neymar, meanwhile, has never won a world player of the year award, with his best finish being third place.
Beyond those numbers, Casemiro made it clear that his admiration for Neymar remains enormous, rooted in the talent the forward displayed on the field. “He was… In training sessions, in games… every touch of the ball was ‘wow,’” said the Brazil player. “But Cristiano and Messi were from another planet.”
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Neymar Jr. and Thiago Silva reportedly make Carlo Ancelotti’s preliminary Brazil 2026 World Cup squad
Casemiro proposes a new role for Neymar with Brazil
The conversation with Rio Ferdinand came amid ongoing debate over whether Neymar should be included in the 26-man roster that will represent Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Casemiro shared his opinion on the matter, suggesting the forward should have a reduced role.
“If it were my decision, I would take Neymar to the World Cup, but I would tell him he wouldn’t play every game,” the midfielder explained. “Bring him on when the match is under control and he can give us an assist that changes the game. We don’t have players like that right now, but the decision belongs to Ancelotti.”
Neymar reportedly on Brazil’s preliminary squad
Speculation surrounding Neymar is expected to continue for several more weeks, as reports from Globo Esporte and Lance! indicate that Carlo Ancelotti included Neymar among the 55 players on Brazil’s preliminary roster. Still, that does not guarantee his place at the 2026 World Cup in North America.
In the near future — no later than June 1 — the coach will have to make the final cut and determine the 26-man roster. There, Ney will compete for a place in a race where he does not have the advantage, having not been part of any previous call-up under Ancelotti.
In addition to Neymar’s inclusion, the preliminary list features another major storyline: the absence of Estevao. The young Chelsea winger was left out of the World Cup because of a serious muscle injury suffered in England weeks ago, joining a growing list of Brazilian stars ruled out, including Rodrygo Goes and Eder Militao.
