Italian soccer legend Gianluigi Buffon has shocked followers by naming Neymar as the very best footballer he has performed with, forward of icons like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Zinedine Zidane.
Buffon, who retired in 2023 after a exceptional profession, shared his ideas in an interview with Corriere della Sera. The previous Juventus and PSG goalkeeper mentioned Neymar’s unimaginable expertise ought to have earned him a number of Ballon d’Or awards, expressing disappointment that the Brazilian ahead has by no means gained the celebrated prize.
In the course of the interview, Buffon mirrored on his profession, which spanned over three many years and noticed him compete alongside and in opposition to a few of soccer’s biggest stars.
“I performed with three generations of footballers,” Buffon mentioned. “How can I determine? Zidane, Ronaldo, Messi, Cristiano, Iniesta…”
When pressed for his high decide, Buffon named Neymar, saying, “Neymar [was the best]. He ought to have gained 5 Ballon d’Ors for the participant and the particular person he’s.”
Buffon’s selection highlights Neymar’s unimaginable talent, creativity, and aptitude, which have dazzled followers through the years. Nonetheless, Neymar, now enjoying for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, has typically confronted criticism for inconsistency and frequent accidents, which have hampered his profession.
Whereas many take into account Messi and Ronaldo to be the best gamers of contemporary soccer, Buffon’s reward for Neymar reminds followers of the Brazilian’s distinctive talents.
As a World Cup winner and one of the adorned gamers in soccer historical past, Buffon’s opinion carries weight within the ongoing debate about soccer’s biggest gamers.
