Why Neymar Was Once Considered The Best Player In The World?
Brazilian superstar Neymar has always been considered the third behind Messi and Ronaldo. He has been phenomenal and would have surely won a Ballon d'Or if not for Messi and Ronaldo's era. Neymar has become the all-time leading goalscorer of the Brazil national football team, surpassing Pele with 79 goals in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. His life has been marked by various controversies, often overshadowing his remarkable achievements in football. From legal battles to emotional outbursts, Neymar's journey has been a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows. Neymar suffered an anterior cruciate ligament ACL fracture and meniscus injury to his left knee in October while playing for his national team during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Despite Football transfer news of Neymar, the Al Hilal forward had just moved to the Saudi Pro League from PSG when he suffered the injury and has not yet returned to action. In this blog, we take a look at why Neymar was once considered the best player in the world.
Three reasons why Neymar was once considered the best player in the world
1. Neymar has scored over 100 goals for three different clubs: Santos, Barcelona, and PSG - 359 Goals
It all began at Santos for the talented forward, where he scored the most goals to date, despite leaving his home country to move to La Liga at a young age. Neymar scored an impressive 136 goals in 225 appearances in all competitions for Santos. That was enough to secure his big-money move to Barcelona, and he wasted no time making an impact at the Camp Nou. Playing alongside superstars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, Neymar thrived in Catalunya, scoring 105 goals in 186 matches. Football fans got to see the most shocking Neymar controversies during that middle period.
He became the world's most expensive player in 2017 when PSG paid £198 million to sign him from Barcelona. Even though he hasn't been able to bring the UEFA Champions League success they desire to the club, he managed to win it in 2015 with Barcelona. The Samba ace has scored 82 goals in 112 Ligue 1 matches since then and has won the title five out of his six years at the French capital. Talking about Football transfer news Neymar, the Brazilian superstar has recently completed another high-profile transfer to Riyadh-based side Al-Hilal, where he is poised to dominate Saudi Pro League defences with his skills.
2. Neymar inspires Brazil national football team to clinch their first Olympic Gold
Neymar has become the all-time leading goalscorer for the Brazil national football team, with 79 goals in 125 appearances. Pele held the record for most goals for Brazil after retiring in 1971, scoring 77 goals in 92 caps. Pele and Neymar are the only two players in the Selecao's history to surpass the 70-goal mark for their nation. Only two other players have surpassed the 50-goal mark for Brazil, with Ronaldo and Romario scoring 62 and 55 goals, respectively.
Talking about Football news, Neymar experienced success on home soil when, as captain, he scored the decisive penalty to secure Brazil's first Olympic Gold in 2016. He had also scored in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final. The Olympic football tournament is an afterthought to European football analysts and fans, but Brazil’s inability to win was previously considered a shocking story in South America.
3. Neymar Jr. - The Prince who was so close to becoming the King
Neymar Jr. is widely regarded as one of the best football players of all time. Many consider him to be the finest player of his generation, following in the footsteps of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Even though, in recent years, his career has faced challenges, including gambling, allegations of rape, and injury setbacks, he remains one of the most prolific and decorated footballers of the current generation. Neymar has scored over 100 goals for three different clubs: Santos, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain.
Neymar scored two goals in a 5-1 victory over Bolivia, marking a solid start for Brazil in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification process and surpassing Pele's record. Talking about Neymar stats and records, the highest-ever goalscorer for Brazil with 79 goals failed to make the cut for the Brazil Copa America 2024 squad as he is recuperating from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. He picked up the injury in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier against Uruguay in October last year and has been out of action for Brazil since.
