{"id":9060,"date":"2026-05-04T21:09:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T21:09:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=9060"},"modified":"2026-05-04T21:09:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T21:09:10","slug":"cafu-names-player-who-is-technically-better-than-messi-and-ronaldo-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=9060","title":{"rendered":"Cafu names player who is ‘technically better’ than Messi and Ronaldo | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"The\t<\/div>
Brazil football legend Cafu (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brazil football legend Cafu claims Neymar is \u2018technically even better\u2019 than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.<\/p>\n

Neymar, 34, is back in Brazil playing for boyhood club Santos having been one of the standout players in Europe over the past decade.<\/p>\n

The dynamic forward spent four successful years at Barcelona, scoring more than a goal every other game and winning eight major trophies, including the Champions League.<\/p>\n

Neymar became the most expensive footballer in history when he completed a stunning \u00a3222m move to PSG in 2017.<\/p>\n

The Brazilian continued to dazzle in the French capital, scoring 118 goals in 173 games and winning five league titles in six years.<\/p>\n

Neymar\u2019s natural decline and his current injury issues have made him a major doubt to be part of Carlo Ancelotti\u2019s Brazil\u2019s squad for this summer\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n

But Cafu has urged Ancelotti to take Neymar to the United States if he is physically \u2018ready\u2019, claiming he is \u2018technically even better\u2019 than all-time greats Messi and Ronaldo.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"San\t<\/div>
Neymar is hoping to go to the World Cup (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Neymar is Brazil\u2019s all-time record goalscorer with 79 in 128 caps and is hoping to go to his fourth World Cup.<\/p>\n

\u2018Any team that has a decisive player like Neymar needs that player,\u2019 Cafu, who remains Brazil\u2019s most-capped player with 142 appearances,\u00a0told The Times.<\/p>\n

\u2018If Neymar is in good shape \u2013 physically fit, tactically fit, technically fit \u2013 it\u2019s obvious he\u2019s a player who decides games. But only Ancelotti can decide and only Neymar can know if he\u2019s ready.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"FIFA\t<\/div>
All-time greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018For me, Neymar was technically even better than [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi. He\u2019s had a brilliant career.\u2019<\/p>\n

Ancelotti became the first foreign manager to take charge of the Brazil national team when he took over in May 2025.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m comfortable with it,\u2019 Cafu said of the appointment. \u2018Ancelotti is the most Brazilian Italian coach there has ever been because he has worked with so many Brazilian players.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Brazil\t<\/div>
Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Brazil has modernised. Most of the best Brazilian players are playing in Europe and Ancelotti is European, but that doesn\u2019t mean Brazilian football is European football. The Brazilian essence will always be there.\u2019<\/p>\n

While Brazil are the most successful team in World Cup history with five titles, they have fallen short in the last five tournaments.<\/p>\n

Rating Brazil\u2019s chances ahead of this summer\u2019s World Cup, Cafu added: \u2018It can work well.<\/p>\n

\u2018The first objective in a World Cup is not to concede goals and I don\u2019t expect many surprises at this World Cup. One hundred per cent, Brazil has a chance.\u2019<\/p>\n

Brazil begin their World Cup campaign against African champions Morocco on June 13. They then face play Haiti and Scotland as they look to advance from Group C.<\/p>\n

Brazil\u2019s south American rivals Argentina are the World Cup holders having won their third title in Qatar in 2022, beating France on penalties in the final.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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