Legendary Italian goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon believes that Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior deserves to have won five Ballon d’Or awards throughout his career.
Buffon stated this in an interview with Corriere della Sera, where he reflected on the most formidable opponents he faced during his illustrious time as a professional goalkeeper.
Buffon said, “Choosing the best among those I faced is a challenging task. Over the years, I’ve encountered some of the greatest talents across three generations, including the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazário, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Andrés Iniesta.
“However, if I had to choose one player who stands out, it would be Neymar.”
He went on to elaborate on Neymar’s extraordinary skill set and his character, noting, “For the player he is and the person he is, he should have won five Ballon d’Ors.”
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This statement underscores Buffon’s admiration for Neymar’s incredible talent, dedication, and impact on the game even though injury woes did not give the 32-year-old Brazilian forward enough room to showcase himself consistently.
Currently, Neymar is playing for Al-Hilal in the Saudi Arabian League. Before his move to Al-Hilal, Neymar showcased his skills at some of the world’s most prestigious clubs, including Santos in Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France, and FC Barcelona in Spain.
While at Barcelona, Neymar formed a legendary attacking trio with Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi, often referred to as “MSN,”which became one of the most formidable attacking lines in football history.
“Their synergy and ability to score goals from almost any position on the pitch led Barcelona to numerous victories, including a treble in the 2014-2015 season.
