Wayne Rooney has delivered a brutally honest verdict on Neymar’s career, claiming the Brazilian superstar was never truly world class.
The Manchester United legend made the remarks while speaking on The Overlap, explaining why he never placed the 34-year-old in the same category as football’s true greats.
“I like Neymar but I’ve never seen him as a top, top player. Like, Messi, Ronaldo, that kind of category,” Rooney said. “He was good at Barcelona, but he was still overshadowed by Messi.”
Neymar has enjoyed a trophy-laden career across two decades, winning silverware with Santos, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Al-Hilal.
He formed one-third of the iconic ‘MSN’ attack at Barcelona alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, helping the Catalan club secure a treble during his time at Spotify Camp Nou.
Despite those achievements, Rooney remains unimpressed. The Brazilian returned to his boyhood club Santos earlier this year after an injury-plagued spell in the Saudi Pro League, where he struggled for fitness and form.
Neymar now faces an uncertain international future. Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti left him out of the latest squad for March’s friendlies against France and Croatia, dealing a significant blow to the forward’s hopes of featuring in what he has confirmed will be his final World Cup.
“Neymar can be at the World Cup too,” Ancelotti said when explaining his decision. “If he can reach the next World Cup at 100 per cent, he can be at the World Cup. Why is he not on this list now? Because he is not 100%. We need players at 100% right now. Neymar has to keep working and playing, showing his qualities in a good physical condition.”
Neymar admitted his disappointment at being overlooked. “The national team squad has just been announced. We weren’t called up. Of course, I’m sad, but I’ll always support the national team,” he said.
“Now it’s about keeping working, and being ready if an opportunity comes. Obviously, it’s my last World Cup. I was upset. But tomorrow I have to stop being sad. I need to work, train and play so that an opportunity may arise to be at the World Cup. I’m prepared.”
Ancelotti will name his final World Cup squad on May 18. Brazil are drawn in Group C for this summer’s tournament, which kicks off across the United States, Mexico and Canada, facing Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in the opening phase.
