Neymar could have been the GREATEST player ever...What Happened?

[@williamrichmond6219]

It still seems so bizarre to me now that Neymar hasn't done more because at his core he is a phenomenal player and I believed in him in 2016. None of us anticipated how long the Ronaldo vs Messi era would last and its possible this broke players like Neymar and Bale, the younger millenials who were supposed to be the best in the world by the end of the 2010's. These players have gone on to do great things but they've always fallen short of the ludicrously high expectations. Now Gen Z is here, the likes of Mbappe, Haaland, Bellingham have the hype and potential Neymar used to have but without the GOAT shaped barriers.

[@4klmason]

and now our perception of goals has changed massively having 20-30 in a season is amazing but due to r and m they seem low numbers but it’s acc insane

[@victorantonsen7787]

@@4klmason not in france thought no ones rate the league

[@davidjones9458]

@@victorantonsen7787 totally. personally I think more credit needs to be given to Ligue 1. Some fantastic talent in their top 10 teams and we couple probably say the same thing about the bottom 10 as we would for every other league. There is plenty of talent and the farmers league reputation is just a perpetuation of kids who don’t know ball and continuously spew shit they heard from their older brother lol

[@luccavalentinw.fiorini2302]

I mean... Modric, Kaká and Lewandovski won the ballon D'Or some years, if he couldn't do it not put the blame on CR7 or Messi, but on the player that failed... You don't see Mo Salah complaining about them on 2017 or Iniesta on 2010 or even Ribery on 2013... All 3 could easily be nominated to win the Ballon D'Or. Neymar is great and that's all, even on his prime he couldn't reach other contestors at the prize, even with Griezmann

[@Vizeh]

He’s forever May be looked back as a maybe player sadly

[@ErlonMuriloMAdeira]

I'm brazillian, he's not a failure but he's so far from what we expected it's hard to accept

[@Vizeh]

Would you say Ronaldo Phenomeno Above him?

[@guppy1126]

@@Vizeh Definitely. I think most people would put R9 in their top 10 all time and fairly high in the 10 as well. Whilst Neymar is not a failure, it's hard to rank him amongst the absolute greatest of all time.

[@danielcancel2901]

@@guppy1126 he’s a top 10 player whether y’all like it or not. He has better stats and is more efficient than ronaldinho, and Kaka. What happened was that his injuries hindered some of his best years and that led to people forgetting how good he actually is. Look at his stats this season, he’s the most consistent Brazilian of all time. No Brazilian has been this good for this long, and he actually has great stats. This year he had great output both on assists and goals, his best ever season at 31. People just tend to ignore it because of that 2018 World Cup where he dove more than usual but people forget he came back early from his ankle injury which he injured twice by that time. But if you look at the psg players he’s still the best player on that team. His impact is insane. People just don’t like to acknowledge it cuz mbappe is there and he scores slightly more, but does not create nowhere near the same, so they need eachother. But people praise mbappe for the goals but fail to realize who’s orchestrating everything in the midfield as a CAM and that’s neymar. Yes he could’ve reached the levels of Messi, cuz of how good he is but remember that he’s had injuries very bad ones in his ankles and he was almost paralyzed in 2014 with a back fracture. Dude has came back just as good. That’s a testament to his work ethic. Many Brazilians lose their flair with these type of injuries but not neymar. We need to respect him more

[@ErlonMuriloMAdeira]

@@Vizeh Oh there's no doubt about it, I believe I never saw someone putting Neymar above Ronaldo. Ronaldo and Ronaldinho detached to a special place in brazillians hearts and minds. Neymar draws lots of hate and that's also something we do a lot, we bash our idols and make them seem less than they are, that excelled with Neymar due to no WCs and no Ballon d'ors. There's quite a lot of people that cheer for him to fail just so they can say "hah told you he was a fraud"

[@kingkezz9188]

@@ErlonMuriloMAdeira Yeah but this brazilian team is like 1/100th of what the brazilian team was in 1996 - 2002.

[@Pacepowerhour]

People tend to judge him for what he could have been instead of what he actually is. A phenomenal once in a generation player.

[@franklinclinton6313]

once in a generational player can't crack 120 goals in 6 years for psg

[@mikey5808]

@@franklinclinton6313 context matters, mans been battling injuries

[@franklinclinton6313]

@@mikey5808 doesn't justify a 220 million transfer.

[@FMN3095]

@@franklinclinton6313 220 million doesn't make you immune to getting injuries

[@franklinclinton6313]

@@FMN3095 any excuse you throw won't make that failure a once in a generation player.

[@caioaugusto2213]

Being Brazilian and following Neymar's career since Santos, I can say that he had the potential to easily score more than 40 goals per season... The injuries hurt him a lot, along with the pressure from the Brazilian press, which always criticized him for being a celebrity, which has already made him give statements about not playing for the national team anymore or even retiring.

[@Vizeh]

The injuries are truly awful as it seems to suffocate what he can actually achieve

[@marlonfarias.]

​@MichaelWAnot yet... it all will depend on the next coach

[@wisdomgozieimade1083]

Neymar just ran out of gis past magic luck

[@dennisplet3886]

#RUBBISHFAILURE

[@toribiogubert7729]

Funny thing is last time Brazil won something, Neymar wasnt on the pitch.

[@ronrowefc]

He didn’t fail. He reached his childhood dream… probably surpassed his dreams. Helps out the community has crazy amounts of money and has fun everyday. Our opinions of what he should have achieved or can is irrelevant…. He came up in an era with the 2 greatest players to touch a pitch being Ronaldo and Messi if it was just him without those 2 he’d probably have at least 1 balón d or by now if not 2. Regardless he didn’t fail

[@toribiogubert7729]

I think thats the problem with him, witch for him isnt a problem, he setled down. He doesn't have the killer mentality required to enter the goat debate.

[@net_lag]

Call me crazy but there were times when half the Messi fans (me also I guess) felt Neymar was better than cr7 In fact I remember watching french league for the first time just to see his play

[@jakey_906]

@@net_lag Agreed. Neymar at his prime was different. He was crazy good, and skillful. In my opinion, he is better than ronaldihno. Ronaldihno wasted his career, while you could say the same thing for neymar too, it's because of injuries. Neymar is one of the best brazilians to exist.

[@PedroAugusto-fx8bz]

@@jakey_906 Agree, Neymar had a better carrer than Ronaldinho, and probably is a more rounded player. Sad that he had injuries and played in the shadow of Messi and Ronaldo. If he was born 5 years later, he probably would win 1 or 2 ballon d ors, if not more. In my opinion 2015 Neymar deserved to win it, but Messi and Ronaldo names were to big back then. Maybe if he had stayed at Barcelona he would still stand a chance, or would have won one, PSG is too small of a club. As for Brazil national team, he played in an weak era, 2014 and 2018 were weak teams, 2022 too much of a young side, he had no one by his side, different from 2002 with Ronaldinho, Kaká, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Cafú...

[@kay008]

@@net_lag of course Messi *fanboys* were the ones who thought that lol

[@ColgateVT]

Speaking as a Brazilian that saw him back in the Santos days, the fact Neymar is considered a 'failure' when he's such an accomplished footballer speaks volumes to the potential people saw in him, as someone that brings magic to football, that makes it fun. In that perspective, I think he succeeded

[@1980syuppie]

Did you believe money changed him ? 😢

[@iakofe7349]

@@1980syuppie He didn’t change at all

[@lightsamael7242]

@@1980syuppie definitely, that's what seperates players like him and Messi

[@Rainneverends-cm3xr]

Portuguese here, he is good.

[@P4P1980]

What is the degree of success do you measure Neymar with?? Because as a Brazilian, I still have Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kaka above Neymar in terms of football greatness and achievements. Yes, money in the bank, Neymar probably is the greatest earner, due to social media, to come out of Brazil.

[@Taylan_]

Neymar didn’t fail, he just didn’t meet people’s impossible expectations, he succeeded, but not as much as others wanted him to

[@sentinal_entity]

Not only that, but it's an insanely difficult thing to live up to said expectations when he was playing in his prime when Messi and Ronaldo were in theirs. He really could have been something insanely special if he was born in any other era. Hard luck really

[@virtualcity721]

@@sentinal_entity Neymar lost his touch when he became fat just like Hazard. And it's when his injuries started

[@jamaa7259]

@@virtualcity721 u haven't seen him at the beggining of the season then he was the best player and had 18 goals and 17 assists for psg before his injury don't compare him to fraud hazard

[@ripevanwinkle494]

His stats and trophies he won speaks for him.

[@kulturekulture9628]

Truth

[@andrewfraserjr]

The Brazilian prince who never became king 😢

[@jhenfresh]

Perfect

[@biirdman89]

well said...

[@kennykBoy7]

You couldn’t said it any better BRo your the smartest Dude in this comments section 🤴🏽😢⚽️🏆🥇🤘🏽🥂🍾💙💙💯

[@P4P1980]

More like the false prophecy or groomed to be the king but took the inheritance of the king made money with it and became social media's greatest footballer. No in all seriousness Neymar has presented a path for future kids that hey you don't have to dominate year in year out just have enough skills, be a clown, do some selfies, and make money. It is now a viable options for kids

[@Anonassassin]

This statement just sums it all up

[@spooke_e6679]

The point of Neymar being a player out of time is a very interesting one. There's no doubt in my mind that if he'd peaked in the 2000s or even the 2010s, before the era of high pressing when forwards could be more lethargic and free, he would've gone down as an all time great It's also wild that someone can equal Pele's goal tally for Brazil, win a Champion's League and still go down as a failure. Messi and Ronaldo really warped our perception of what a successful footballer should look like (a massive volume of goals and constant, constant winning) and whether that's fair or not it's the nature of the modern game

[@blank1933]

Neymar was born just right. This was the best era for him. He wouldn’t have gotten as close to winning the ballon d’or if he won in the 90s or 00s

[@sugarkookiewithsometae4245]

​@@blank1933 Nah. Neymar could have gotten a Ballan d'or in the late 90s. He is a class above Rivaldo for sure.

[@mike.cdn7212]

He had to meet the expectations for Brazilians and people who venerate European football. Brazilians want the World Cup and people who venerate European club football wants him to win the UCL with Paris. But even if they do achieve that they will probably praise Messi or Mbappe before Neynar. In my eyes he can't win.

[@blank1933]

@@sugarkookiewithsometae4245 he’s not better than Rivaldo lmao. Rivaldo made Deportivo a force. Neymar can’t even lead a juiced up French side to a UCl. And has never had a performance that sizes up to Rivaldo in 2002.

[@sugarkookiewithsometae4245]

@@blank1933 Meh. Rivaldo had a underwhelming career. He didn't make Deportivo a force. He wasn't even their best player. He never did anything truly historic at Barca, was shit at AC Milan, and was never Brazils main man.

[@Lastnameabdi]

I’ll never forget neymar at santos we literally witnessed his come up😭😭🔥

[@Vizeh]

His FIFA 12 card bro!

[@mike.cdn7212]

Hes definitely was the most scrutinized wonderkid I have ever seen and I have seen some wonderkids labeled with high expectations but never as high as Neymar.

[@KrishnaDas-il9vu]

​@@VizehI still believe, Neymar should join EPL Club like Arsenal or Chelsea. He shouldn't leave Europe for his professional career. Like to see neymar perform like Lewandowski or Benzema in recent future like old wine- I meant the way Benzema perform for Real Madrid after C Ronaldo left or Lewandowski's performance for Bayern Munich overall. Ibrahimovic came back in Europe after joining MLS so I hope neymar will came back again in European football_ especially at England.

[@sahilmunshi2443]

The best wonderkid 😢 he even placed top 10 in Ballon D’or in santos

[@Vizeh]

That’s incredible that he achieved that!

[@sahilmunshi2443]

@@Vizeh It was 2011 I think

[@sincerelyspazz]

Top 10 and Top 5

[@JayVentura]

Definitely media. When he was young he didn't do himself any favours. But since his love to PSG he's matured a lot as a player. He's amazing and it's a shame that he doesn't get recognition really. Top 3 Brazilian players OAT we'll never see another like him. Generational player.

[@kian72olner]

People don’t know the mental challenge of recovering from injuries. They just see the wage and think it’s easy. The amount of injuries he’s had from ankle breaks, ankle ligament ruptures, breaking his goddamn back. I salute that he still has the courage to play. It’s not like in F1 when there’s a mechanical failure. Yes it’s part and parcel of the sport, it will happen to everyone. But in F1 mechanics can repair the car. This is Neymar’s own physical body.

[@TK-ep9yh]

i remember when neymar jr was up and coming, he was literally seen as the next biggest thing ever in life, as a player hes not a failure, he’s definitly one of the greats, but man he sure is a failed wonderkid, probably the greatest failure a wonderkid could ever be considering what was meant for him

[@Vizeh]

I don’t want to say he is a failure, but he could have gone so much higher you’d think

[@TK-ep9yh]

@@Vizeh yeah i wouldnt say hes a failure either, but in terms of a wonderkid living up to their full potential, he has failed imo

[@GgTTV828]

​@TK there is really nobody that could ever live up to the prospect and pressure placed on him, though. So he's not a failure for failing -- he's been misguided, injured, always pressured. Nobody can handle that much without crumbling, especially since a mere teenager. He can't deal with it, nobody can. Even Messi, if he had to go through what Neymar had, he would crumble too. I think failure is too harsh. I think he is more of a misunderstood brilliance that never reached its highest potential.

[@GgTTV828]

@MessiSolos he never trained? What kind of half-ass response is that. You probably never watched him at all.

[@danielcancel2901]

How is he a failure wonder kid when his output is still insane despite injury? Y’all sound dumb sometimes lmao

[@Smonserratm]

I think what I'll remember most about Neymar is how he was pivotal in the 6-1 comeback against PSG yet after the game everyone was focusing on Messi and the photo of that match is Lionel being thrown up in the air by their teammates.

[@Vizeh]

That is a good point actually

[@nikosofidemporas]

Fair, but firstly the photo was Messi being on top of the fans in full passion. Secondly, yeah Ney was the reason of the comeback but you have to understand though Messi was to Barca way more than a legend and that Messi photo was in fact more iconic for headlines. Just like you saw CR7's ab show off after his little contribution in 2014 UCL final as the photo on the headlines.

[@pitamberarora6232]

I understand what Neymar must have been thinking but it was a bit selfish of him to think that Barcelona fans would not love Messi more. Messi and Barcelona go hand in hand , he's not just a legend there , he is a god.

[@vishnujain7645]

Let's look at it unbiasedly , the MSN was talked of as a deadly trio and it wasn't a Messi service trio. Neymar always got an equal to or just slightly less spotlight than Messi. Of ourse it have to do with the fact that Messi was a global superstar long before Neymar. But take Benzema or Bale for example , Cristiano was the guy that was always talked about .They never got the attention . Benzema went on to win the Ballandor' after Ronaldo left and he was more recognised. Neymar's case is different if he left for Man City or any other Pl club it would have made sense. But he choose PSG , that's not ambition that was greed. He played phenomenal in their but the attention was even less . Being under Messi's shadow was better than going to a league nobody cares. People watch PSG more now because of Messi. He was Messi's heir at Barça . Neymar was important to them.

[@P4P1980]

Yup, then what happened??

[@JanelleTheKid]

I think when I was younger I bought into the hype of "Neymar is a shitty player with a big ego and he's horrible and doesn't deserve anything." But over the years I've come to pity him as a player. He's really fucking good and always has been. And I don't think he'll ever get the recognition he truly deserves because he just constantly lives in someone else's shadow on top of the shit the media always says about him. Just such a shame really. He was really something special but he came up in the wrong era I think.

[@mauroZRM]

As an Argentinian Neymar was truly terrified in the Copa America 2019, that match I considered that was his peak...Neymar got fouled by Cuti Romero and Otamendi and he got up and continue to run like crazy, even Dibu Martinez said he was unstoppable that night...even Messi got him a foul. He will always be for me the brazilian player with most potencial but like Ronaldinho himself his personal life maybe crippled that. If he had stay in Barcelona I think he would have become a better player and less prone to injuries since League1 he gets tackled a lot because it is the only way a less skill league like that can stop him.

[@Pheman21]

💯

[@wandile.dlamini_]

He really is the last of a dying breed and i hate how i don't get to see him week in week out due to limited access to French football on streaming platforms. Only getting to see him in the CL and WC is so hard cause he's such an amazing player.

[@chanendlerbong]

I really feel bad for Neymar, back in 2013-16 he was supposed to be a face of football after Messi and CR7, not only me but most of the football fans too, but a lot of injuries, move to PSG, rise of Mbappe in PSG and incredible aging of CR7 and Messi, so yea, he was unlucky a lil bit, also we all know if it wasnt for Messi and CR7 he would have been a 2x Ballon dor winner, and imo he is better than Ronaldinho, but he is going to have a better legacy with Ballon Dor that Ney probably is not going to win😊

[@Vizeh]

I feel like he may always be seen as a nearly player in many debates

[@chanendlerbong]

@@Vizeh also didnt mentioned that imo he is better than Ronnie in Brazil, stat wise and comparing Ronnies squads with Neymars in WC he definitely did more than Ronaldinho

[@completefootball100]

How dare you compare Neymar to Ronaldinho and R9?? That's an insult and disrespect. Ney had the skill but not the strength, pace and agility of Ronaldinho and R9. WTF are you saying? Did you watch these guys at their prime? And you compare Ney with them

[@gaiusx287]

@@chanendlerbong it's not just about scoring goals mate - Ronaldinho won a Ballon D'or and played a key role in the 2022 World cup without scoring many goals because of how he created plays and controlled the game. Neymar was not on his level

[@chanendlerbong]

@@completefootball100 Firstly i have never said R9 mate, nobody is talking about him lol, i watched Ronnie during his prime and yeah he was beast but i think Ney is a lil bit better, i have never saw Ronaldinho carry the team like Neymar did against PSG or against Bayern Munich in 20 and 21, plus on the international level, yes Ronnie won basicly everything with Brazil, but compare those squads with Ronaldinho and Neymars, basicly until 2022 Neymar didnt have a world class squad around him compare to Ronaldinho back to 02

[@naslaz1496]

You guys are forgetting he started his career in the midst of Messi and Ronaldo, him staying on 3rd place despite competing with two football titans is an achievement on its own

[@tton5544]

He is a complete player the hype for him in 2014 so amazing

[@ladyole9291]

Neur was literally in third place in the ballon dor against Messi and Ronaldo while being a goal keeper the argument of Neymar being so good cus he placed third is so fucking dumb

[@ThisIsAName69]

As a younger Brasilian fan (19) I’ve always looked up to Ney because he was the first brasilian super star I saw besides the twilight of Kaka’s career. But when I look at other older fans like my parents and older fans in general, they all say he never delivered the way they expected him to. I personally feel like that partially has to do with the brasil squads he’s been a part of compared to the World Cup winning ones from the past, but also because pf the amount of pressure that has been put on him from football greats and fans alike since he was a teenager.

[@ThisIsAName69]

I feel like if you look at him purely as a player, he was a success and should be considered one of the best players of this generation if not all time. Its just upsetting because of the “what could have been” when it comes to accolades, but that still shouldn’t take away from what he’s achieved as a player

[@igloo614]

@@ThisIsAName69He completed european football at like 24 but I guess people wanted to see him do it as the main man

[@rere9991]

He's not a failure far from it I think it's a combo of being a victim of prime Messi CR7 era + the most heinous injuries that can happen to a player, he's the most fouled player in the past 2 decades like everyone wants to break him. Coming back from an injury that nearly paralyzed him shows the mentality he has, plus his ankle injury he never got treated since 2017 takes a toll. He did recently get surgery finally and if he continues like he was beginning of this season he'll be a fire cracker & I pray still he achieves more possibly the wc with Brazil in 2026!

[@BrianLin-x4l]

The definition of so close yet so far; Neymar

[@jozefbarta1387]

Imagine a genius music composer composing a new song in private and when he finishes the song, he performs it in concert and performs it for the audience. For me, Neymar was a genius footballer in that he composed his game right on the pitch. He may not have been as perfect as other famous players, but no one had his playfulness, improvisation and enjoyment of the game like him. I often felt as if a new trick came to him right on the field and he immediately executed it, which others could not do. Maybe if they didn't expect him to be the best, he would be the best!

[@user-ch1ob9mp2l]

Really enjoyed watching Neymar weekly although I'm not a Barcelona or PSG fan: even watched him on yt when he still was playin for Santos. It's become less and less games every year but when he plays it just magic. Certainly one of my favourite players, but if looking objectively to it. He could have achieved more. The factors are rather out of his control as you mentioned in the video. But being more fit and training more could have really been the edge. Although you can't really blame the man. The negativity and hate he gets, I can understand why he likes to party and stuff to just be out that world.

[@sashaya998]

Yeah exactly, I feel like his lifestyle is him lashing out at the fact that no matter what he does people will want to criticize him

[@colachofcb]

@@sashaya998 So why share every bit of your private life on social media if you wanna be out of that world?

[@scoreh23]

💔love ney man. The reason I love this sport. It hurts how his career has went but he is still one of the greatest to ever play. I hope he can give it a run in 2026.

[@canalpretoebrancocsc1353]

As a brazillian, Neymar is not a failure as all, he had a stunishing beginning here in the national league with Santos and woned the Libertadores, at Barça he was also brilliant, his driblling and protagonism was notorious, he was pure entertainment, woned the olympics for the first time, but when he went to PSG everything gone wrong, besides of his behavior extrafield, he kind of harm himself, my feeling is that he is a great player, but could have being much more

[@timlowe7538]

We have to consider body type to a degree. His body type is both a blessing and a curse. Like Robinho, it gives him agility to dribble like no other, but at the end of the day, football is a man's game. If he played one or two touches he wouldn't get injured as much, but then again he wouldn't be Neymar. With this consideration, I think he has done the best he could and didn't 'fail'.

[@duckmaster7]

He isn't a failure but even as a very loyal Neymar fan I can't consider him being in level of Messi, Cr7, R9, Pele, Maradona etc...but he's still an incredible player who's been my favourite player for years. Sad that he didn't reach potential he could have reached😔...transfer to PSG and injuries especially injuries did stop him doing that. What legend he could have been had he stayed at Barca...

[@jakey_906]

I think that Neymar, is still to me one of the most underrated players in this generation. Everyone goes like "His time at santos was crazy" and that how his potential failed. This isn't the only video I saw about making how neymar has had a failed career or is a failed prospect. He isn't and he has achieved so much. That is what is important, but everyone fails to see that. Everyone looks at how terrible he is now. He is struggling yes, but look at his time at barca. He was crazy. He achieved so much and its a shame that he was in the era of ronaldo and messi. The goats of football, are with one of the most overshadowed players. Did he fail? No. Did he achieve his potential? In my opinion, yes. He did so much in his career and that what's he's achieved means so much to him. Neymar will be forever underrated no matter how you put it. These videos show that he is underrated because everyone is making how his career sucks. Neymar, is one of the Top 30 best players of all time no matter how you put it in any way. You can't convince me that he isn't.

[@The_Jazziest_Coffee]

this shit reminds me of tennis, albeit there is way more luck involved with injuries to football than tennis but that said, when you live under an era of not a GOAT but GOATs, you're really going to struggle to even break into that other league

[@bb2757]

I dont think he's a failure especially when compared to the average pro football player. But in terms of what he could've been, it definitely feels like a let down that he was not able to reach his full potential.

[@TheFictionalRealmofJamal1017]

Definition of close but yet so far

[@lexkanyima2195]

But he was not wasted

[@bayarealuis5933]

Neymar was the reason I started playing and watching soccer more often he will always be a legend of the game. The stuff he did on the field in the early 2000s was magical, he had my young mind blown👏🏽

[@baconrastas]

In the early 2000s he was 10...

[@gmdragon117]

He ruined himself. Instead of focusing on the game like messi, or focusing the on his physical growth like ronaldo; he let his ego take over. Mbappe is amazing.

[@guilhermejurgensen5068]

mbappe 😂😂😂😂😂 he just runs 😭

[@messii648]

Like Suarez said recently if Neymar had the patience to stay at Barca in some years he would develop even more and got a least one ballon dr, and I think personally even one more ucl in 2019 . Messi and Suarez was sad and wasn’t the same when their best friend just left like that without an real explanation at the time.. he was indeed born in wrong era he could have been So much more. It was not wrong move away from Barca but to early I think he could have left in 2020 to a better club than psg that is a better choice. He has one chance left to win WC 2026 he is still young but it all depends on his mentality and if he wins WC his legacy is complete with WC it’s leading automatically to a ballon dr likely.

[@keyandriastewart2690]

Agreed he left Barca way too early and yes it all depends on his mentality I have high hope he can bring brasil the World Cup for a 6th time

[@victoriap1561]

neymar would have never gotten the ballon d or playing for the same team as messi

[@s9persaiyan]

Neymar might be a slacker ,it crazy how determined he was to win the wc in 22 ,it just his mentality and lifestyle. He still wants the wc 😊

[@Subsario]

When he was a young boy, which lived in a favela, and sometimes didn't have anything to eat, his dream was to become a professional football player. He succeeded, he won, he is the best. He managed to score the winning goal, in the final of the 2016 olympics, he made Brazil win their only missing title. I miss the days when he had that Mohawk and he was the next-Pelé. I'll forever be a Neymar fan

[@benrobins48]

Can you please make a video on the Antonio Conte situation at Tottenham or just Tottenham’s situation in general. It seems like a very complicated and serious situation and I would love and I’m sure other people would love to know a little more about it. Keep up the great videos!

[@Vizeh]

I can do actually

[@bazuc8528]

Another banger Viz, thanks for the video. Neymar is such a modern topic and a fascinating demonstration of the transition in football as if he was the bridge between the times of football. Great and always shiny, but yet still in the shadow because of individual traits and flaws. A sense of hope for brazil but yet also the one at the cause of their failure. Chose a fast way to greatness instead of a more enduring but more rewarding path. Consistency and humbleness is probably what he lacked cause that's what some of the young players have aside of their skill Haaland,belingham,foden,mbappe.

[@Vizeh]

Thank you man, Neymar been a topic I wanted to cover for a while

[@danielcancel2901]

Neymar is hot the reason brazil have lost. In all the losses he was never greedy, or didn’t come up. His team tends to stagnate in the quarter finals. Look at what happened with croatia and Belgium, none of those losses are his fault. Without him brazil have no chance

[@acidrazor66]

as a brazilian I just can’t believe someone would call him a failure.. apart from being a main player on squads that won Libertadores and Champions League titles and so many other trophies, he’s a fantastic player which we don’t see so often anymore as you mentioned, as football gets more and more athletic and tactical each decade. In the late 90’s-2000’s we had Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Adriano, Kaká, Alex, Juninho Pernambucano, Roberto Carlos, Djalminha, Denilson, Robinho; in the 80’s and early 90’s we had Romário, Bebeto, Zico, Falcão, Reinaldo, Sócrates, Raí, Edmundo etc; before that Pelé, Garrincha, Rivelino, Didi and so many others. But from his generation, Neymar is the only brazilian that got to the highest level and got achievements, to the point where he’s the only one in the world (and not only Brasil now) to be considered Cristiano and Messi’s level. The four other big names from this brazilian generation in terms of forwards and playmakers were Coutinho, Alexandre Pato, Ganso and Lucas Moura. Coutinho was kind of a meh player for us with some highs and some very lows throughout his career; Pato had huge potential (I thought he would be our next R9 😂) but probably too lazy and suffered with injuries; Ganso also suffered with injuries and most of you don’t even remember who he was, but he was an absolutely phenomenal midfielder and MANY people here believed he had greater potential than Neymar; and Lucas’ case is a weird one for me because I always loved him as a player but was never given many opportunities at Brasil, PSG and when his big moment came at Tottenham, the genius pocchetino sacked him for fckn Dele Alli 😂. Out of all the names I said here, the only ones I consider as true failures are Adriano for social/psychological reasons; Pato for being so soft and apparently lazy and unmotivated at times, had injuries but he could have been SO much more; Robinho for many reasons; and Djalminha for being so reckless. Calling Ney a failure is to me just as unfair as calling Ronaldo a failure because he couldn’t mantain his godlike form after injuries (despite being somewhat lazy with his physique after a time); Kaká for his injuries; Ronaldinho for having a relatively short peak given how he declined afterwards due to unprofessional conducts; Garrincha for falling to alcoholism after success; Romário for choosing to come back to Brasil after winning a WC and being awarded the best player in the world just to “be happy” or stuff like that. Yeah Neymar might not have achieved what these did, but is still a legendary player that will be remembered for ages, and is already regarded higher than many of these legends mentioned above. Brazil is an odd place man and so is our culture.. football is a HUGE part of our culture so everything is kind of crazy and unexpected all the time just as our game is, but it is also a magical place that every now and then spawns these crazy footballing geniuses who are more often than not just as difficult to understand as a person as it is to stop them on the pitch when they come dribbling towards you.. and as long as we’re a country in this planet, Neymar is not a dying breed.

[@closefar3195]

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[@kabelokowa199]

Best comment ever

[@gaiusx287]

Amazing comment, I don't usually run into Brazilians on youtube with so much knowledge about Brazilian legends from the older generations. Would like to reiterate how unfair it is for people to call Romario a failure for following a path that made him happy and fulfilled instead of trying become a "bigger legend" to fulfill other people's expectations

[@bayarealuis5933]

We wouldn’t have compared him with all those greats if he didn’t have something special himself 🤝🏽

[@DefinitelyNotaRussianSpy]

I can’t call Neymar a failure while I’m sitting alone in my bedroom watching a video about him.

[@alexg9869]

He’s nowhere near of a failure, he was just set up in the wrong time going up against 2 of the most impressive players we seen since in the history of football.

[@milkoverhell6030]

I’m Brazilian and as a kid he was what I wanted to be. Every World Cup I had faith in him and was never worried because we had Neymar. I don’t know if I should call him a failure. I wish I could bring him up in the conversation of the greats I really do and at some point he was. In the current present he is not what we expected him to be.

[@DanielRBX]

I think neymar is okay. But his phisique is not for him. His Dribbling Are amazing. He has the potential to bet one of the best,but i mean it a lot.

[@GgTTV828]

Neymar is more than 'okay', in my opinion. He is still a legend. He may have not exceeded his potential, the pressure was far bigger than anyone could endure, but he still performed amazing.

[@toto_rf95]

He was incredible. Every time he put that Brazil shirt on in the early 2010s he was the best player on the pitch. He peaked early like Cesc or Rooney and now he’s 30 he’s winding down. It’s normal. If you don’t have the longevity of Messi or Ronaldo you’re a failure these days. It’s a bit of a joke tbh. Messi loved playing with him and he has those MSN years and a CL win as just part of his legacy. Great career! He’ll be appreciated more when he retires. 2014 WC and what happened there traumatised him I think and before the QFs vs Colombia he was the poster boy of that WC, he was outplaying even Messi in the tournament.

[@onehandlikeobj9603]

Neymar is the most talented player I’ve ever seen he can play flair and then play with devastating output with G/A the problem is it’s impossible for consistency when you’re forever injured I love him and always will my goat

[@sagarranjan4585]

So you haven't seen Messi play yet?

[@poptraxx418]

@@sagarranjan4585 ronaldinho is the most talented

[@sagarranjan4585]

@@poptraxx418 he is not even top 5 in terms of talent. Showboating maybe yes. R9, Maradona, Baggio, Messi, Henry way more talented. Ronaldinho is overrated.

[@poptraxx418]

@@sagarranjan4585 Ronaldinho is more talented than anybody on this list nobody could dribble like him that's a fact none this guy's could attempt what he did to defenders he doesn't do step overs or body faints

[@poptraxx418]

@@sagarranjan4585 how can you say Henry is more talented than Ronaldinho I don't Henry will even agree with this Henry is even as talented as cr7

[@ultimatebacon4580]

This hits so much harder after his transfer to Al-Hilal

[@sashaya998]

i feel like we tend to overstate how great a player will be when they're young and that sets up almost unattainable expectations for these players. Neymar was quite young when they were saying that he would be the next Pele and no one prepares you for that type of pressure. Also, his injuries ruined him and he's been quite limited. I don't think he has the energy anymore to prove himself now and thinks that he missed out - I hope he manages to make a good come back that does justice to his talent and his perseverance in the face of that many obstacles

[@pouffed]

If you look at old neymar dribbling videos where he was at barca here on youtube, and watch now at his saudi club. he doesnt try to dribble as much as when he was younger, might be age thing but i think he just fears it cause he doesnt want to get injured anymore

[@dak0da_0]

He hasn’t failed it’s just that Messi vs Ronaldo went on for way too long. If it ended by 2014, Neymar would’ve had all the attention on him and he would’ve been able to show the entirety of the world how good and skilful he really was.

[@minthitgood-wz2kp]

Now Neymar is the closest to Tonaldo and Messi but he could have been the one above Messi and Ronaldo and be the Goat. Then people would be debating on who is the second greatest Ronaldo or Messi

[@_justavisitor4440]

He deserves a worldcup. Give it your all one last time Neymar. Don't quit yet!

[@karangtavana1283]

Brazil isn’t winning a World Cup any time soon.

[@jeremyteti914]

Simply not a failure, 1 Champions League- 2015 1 UEFA Super cup- 2016 1 FIFA Club World Cup- 2016 1 FIFA Confederation Cup- 2013 1 Olympic Gold - 2016 1 Under-20 South American Championship- 2011 1 Recopa Sudamericana- 2012 1 Brazilian cup- 2010 1 Copa Libertadores- 2011 2 Spanish champions/ La Liga- 2015, 2016 3 Spanish cup/ Copa Del Ray- 2015, 2016,2017 1 Spanish Super Cup- 2014 4 French champion/ Ligue 1- 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 How many players has ever won this lot of trophies? yes, only a successful one. Firstly, he is battling injury that hinders him a lot.. Second, Messi and ronaldo era that "cancel" him winning any trophy or individual trophy As for his caliber, eh is up there with messi and ronaldo, Watching him as a threat is scary.

[@gigachad5077]

Let's be honest, if he wanted to be the best, he would be the best. His heart really wasn't into it as the others were. You could see the passion from Messi and Ronaldo when they wanted to score, win and be the best, even going head to head with each other for most goals per season. Neymar is always talking about possible early retirement, which means that he really isn't in to it anymore. He just wants to party and live life for the most part.

[@gingerwingerful]

You are the only person who has spoken the facts here when l watched a netflix documentary abt him that's when l realised the dude isn't in it really

[@muhibbualii4580]

Facts facts

[@senaarth7868]

being from brazil it is not just sad to see him failing his football career, but also failing the off-court aspects of his career... this man was so good, and so loved, he had the potential to unite the nation and simply threw it all alway... we here in brazil haven't been the same since the 2014 cup, over 20 year since the last world cup.. its kinda sad.. when i was a child people used to paint the streets, used to love the national team... it used to be the only thing that could unite the whole nation

[@Seawalls]

In a perfect world, Neymar and Messi stayed at Barcelona and things never went bad for the club

[@spectrelfc1152]

Neymar is a good player, but he’s far from what was expected. I forgot that he still plays a lot of the time

[@quntface1518]

He's clearly not a bad player at all, but he definitely didn't live up to expectation and let his potential get to his head. He went down the route of playing only for money. Anybody who has seen him play has seen his antics and attitude on the pitch and it often overtakes his actual football.

[@V1CALMIGH7Y]

You don’t know him or his story at all😂

[@cadimagamingplace]

No debate needed anymore. With where he is now and his current physical form?! He is done. At the age of 30. 😂

[@DreamLurker32]

Something I noticed in the video look at Ronaldinho's dribbling and Neymar, R10 just straightforward and fast, like he knows where he wants to go, Neymar's is all over the place and not quick or straightforward with his dribbling which probably contributes to the defenders having more success fouling him. I tell you man it's not all on the defenders, Neymar gives them ample time and opportunity to foul him, if you watch football for a long time, you probably know this already.

[@iamnanirandom2158]

Don’t disrespect my boy Willian at that time he was arguably a top 10 winger in the prem

[@giftchileshe1745]

he is not a failure. he hasn't reached his fullest potential if you look at the major titles his won he has had a great career. i think with less injuries and more ueefa wins we would be talking about the three greatest players messi , cristiano and neymar. but overall he is a unique player

[@ISREHL]

2022 was his World Cup, he scored last minute but Croatia fought back. If they would have one, Brazil could have gone deep in the tournament

[@Jay-ob4ti]

Could his ambition be questioned? After the documentary on Netflix it was clear his father & those around him really pushed for Neymar to be a BRAND, similar to Beckham. Was his ambition ever to be the greatest footballer in the world, or just build a big enough brand to live off when he calls it a day on the pitch?

[@punaaaniprince]

The fact is: The only season he wasn’t injured he took PSG to CL final (Covid lockdown). Another fact: Neither he nor Mbappe scored a single goal on the way to final!

[@Eibarwoman]

It's the same problem as Iker Muniain, a similar wonderkid contemporary which had injuries either interfere with development before turning durable as a mere husk of what he could have been (Muniain) or break up the peak (Neymar Jr). Combine with Messi and Ronaldo lasting as long as they did, Neymar got overshadowed.

[@bigmeetssmall7522]

It’s crazy like I’m a Celtic fan and I’ve watched so many great players at Celtic park such as Messi, Iniesta, Ronaldinho, Henry etc but genuinely Neymar is the best player I’ve seen live he’s absolutely incredible

[@archipiratta]

Underachiever? Arguably. But failure? Not at all. He's won more than most and would have been considered the GOAT of his generation but for Ronaldo and Messi. He's probably a victim of the hype machine

[@thandolwethuhlengetwa6965]

No he is not a failure,he has been through a lot and still managed to come out stronger

[@factosmillonario]

this aged well

[@nw1tch469]

aged like wine🤌

[@kylegammill4270]

As an American fan who has taken a liking to Marseille recently, I can't wait for your inevitable PSG video. You're my favorite footballing KZbinr out there. Keep up the great work!

[@spudmaster12_]

" Neymar could have been the greatest player ever " Ya well I could have too if I never got that damn knee injury

[@Vizeh]

Good point

[@asper7367]

@@Vizeh If you had his kind of performances at Santos, Barcelona and the 2014 World Cup，this is the premise on which everyone makes their assumptions.

[@kevinmsft]

Single biggest reason is probably that he tends to choke when times come... He was never even close to winning one World Cup or Champions League wasn't he?

[@tadabanri8573]

Despite the pressure Neymar also joined when Messi and Ronaldo where in their absolute prime and dominating the whole football, there was no one who could come out of their shadows

[@kaelthunderhoof5619]

El classico was so hype back then. It was all about Messi vs Ronaldo

[@armandelezi8449]

What happens to almost every Brazilian player......they grow in poverty so their only way out is playing football.... Once they reach their goal and make bank they loose interest to keep playing and improving and start enjoying the life they always dreamed about and that doesn't include football

[@grinchoi1]

Neymar is brilliant. My favorite player to watch after Messi. He should never have left Barcelona and he even admitted it was a mistake. But he's been unfortunate. At key moments he's been injured year after year. He's always had an issue with holding the ball too long at times and not releasing it and utilizing his dribbling skills in the most effective moments. As to why Messi isn't injured like him despite the fouls is that Messi is a bull. Strong, low center of gravity and Messi has the ability to evade fouls vs looking for contact

[@RINODWIKIY]

Neymar didn't have better vision than Messi, so it explain the General of this Debate. Messi in General before He Even start dribble. He Always Scan the Field 1 - 5 minutes to get The Space and Chance to Score/Assists

[@jayps4434]

I wouldn’t say he’s a failure when it comes to succeeding in life but you can’t deny that based off the trajectory of his first few years in Europe, he should be more successful than he is rn.

[@The_LMS]

He's not a failure, he's just wasted potential

[@YeTism]

He’s still achieved so much and we expected more. Tells us a lot about his talent

[@fauna6332]

I don't think he is a failure. In fact, I think he is a success considering the immense amount of pressure to be the best when the likes of messi and cristiano were in their peak. Facing that at that age and still being able to be in that top 3 most of the time, I was impressed back then. He is perhaps the only starboy from back then who's name is still in that top 5. Statistics back him up which is even sadder cause I JUST FUCKING WISH he doesn't get injured anymore. Also he has steel balls, that many injuries and the talent is still overflowing. Less amount of games and he still places one of the highest in stats. A quote by Jose Mourinho on Hazard reminds me of Neymar so much "The way, match after match, he's being punished by opponents and he's not being protected by referees, maybe one day we don't have Eden Hazard." Honestly don't know how he is still standing with those legs? how they still deliver the flick, the turn? he's neymar for a reason and not just another player, he hasn't given up, but we will be too late to notice ig

[@CALISUPERSPORT]

The insane staying power of Messi and Ronaldo definitely outshined alot of world class players who otherwise would've been wrangling for the top spot or for Balon d'Or. Messi hasn't stopped being in the limelight since 2005, just think about how insane that is! And his legend has only swelled ever since. CR7 is a similar story. I feel like no other football generation has ever seen such a thing.

[@josepha8415]

He has surpassed Robinho and Ronaldinho. He is not a failure in my book. I will never forget MSN at Barcelona.

[@luccavalentinw.fiorini2302]

Robinho for sure... alongside Adriano and even Kaká or Rivaldo that are ballon d'or winners. But not Ronaldinho man, everything that Neymar won Dinho also won, + he has Copa America, World Cup, Ballo D'Or and FIFA Player of the year (2x)

[@ellemarr7234]

@@luccavalentinw.fiorini2302 Well said. He’s another player who should’ve achieved more but he didn’t want to. He won everything like you mentioned. Also, football is a game of passion and memory. Ronaldinho’s reputation and longevity (no matter at what level) make him mythical in a way.

[@thedave8097]

Yes, he is a massive failure in my eyes. He had everything laid out on a plate for him to be the successor to Messi as he was to Ronaldinho. He failed because he failed to be patient, and since he left Barcelona he has never been the same.

[@hyperxedits1394]

Depends he made some bad moves and injuries have messed him up and born in wrong era but he been amazing as well

[@chanendlerbong]

Well this aged like a fine wine 🍷

[@Mostafaaym]

I think he was a great player, but he really could have been even better in multiple occasions...

[@Thomas-nn9du]

98% of the Brazilian kids dream every day of being a failure just like him, he is the reason great many people start loving the sport and one of the few reasons the average Brazilian has to smile and hope for something great. He is unhuman, he is as successful as you can get. Maybe not the way he intended or people that watch him intended, but he is undoubtedly one of the greatest in history.

[@tired783]

He is the most skillful player with the ball ever. Also players tackle him pretty hard which forces him to dive quite a bit because if they don’t he usually makes them look silly.

[@Bruno-ki9iz]

16:19 Lol, he's absolutely not a "God" here. Remember we had Pelé, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Zico, Rivaldo, Romário...In comparison, this generation has been disappointing to say the least, and Neymar is the face of the team. Frankly, we need to start another chapter. I hope Vini Jr. and Rodrygo can deliver.

[@crazyfor60]

I’ve never once looked at Neymar and thought clinical. The problem with Neymar personally for me is that he cares more to dribble around than to contribute consistently in all the facets of the game. Great talent but a lot of wasted potential

[@justsomedude759]

He isn't a failure. He's just a failure compared to his expectations

[@breaklesslp]

0:05 He is because of money thats it . Video not worth 20 mins

[@LucasAndradeHD]

As a Brazilian I'n impressed with how reasonable and balanced this video was, congratulations, Vizeh!

[@daraghscully4101]

He is a failure not for what he was, but what he couldve been

[@knoyourself]

I dont think making millions of dollars to play football all day is a failure

[@alexgreen3662]

All seeing this comment, be grateful to have seen the likes of Messi & Ronaldo because it will not happen again in our lifetime. Neymar will never compare to R9, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Romario… he still has to pass these legends before facing the mighty God of Brazil, Pele. He is a long way off… he is good for his era, but not as good as he should be.

[@marihutten]

The problem with Neymar is that he holds the ball and dribbles into dangerous areas in which defenders will get more aggressive. He tends to hold the ball too much near and inside the box, if he did the same tricks further away from these areas he'd be targeted less and would be injured less. R9 talked about this a bunch of times

[@JuliusCesar66]

He’s kind of the mold for a ton of Brazilians. He shined extremely bright and tore his body up to live up to that pressure. Now he just wants to focus on country and enjoy his life.

[@H8B7L]

Maaan playing your home WC with Fred and Hulk upfront was rough…

[@jbart4183]

I say he his the most underachieved. Mans has it all. For me, after winning the CL back in '15 at Barca, he sought for money and got it by signing in PSG, after that he was never the same.

[@mrj1341]

Letting his career in his father’s hands is his biggest mistake. His dad is obsessed with branding and the money that comes with it....hence the second fatal mistake the move to paris. Had he gained control over his own career and stayed at barca, or even moved to england at say man city we would be having a very different conversation.