"At the same level as Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi" - When Ronaldinho made bold claim about Brazilian compatriot
Brazilian legend Ronaldinho once considered his compatriot Neymar Jr. at the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. His comments came after Neymar's exceptional performance in Barcelona's iconic comeback against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the 2016-17 Champions League Round of 16 second leg.
Widely dubbed as La Remontada (the return), Barcelona's iconic comeback saw them overcome a four-goal deficit from the first leg, winning 6-5 on aggregate. La Blaugrana had lost the first leg 4-0, but won the second leg 6-1 at the Camp Nou.
Neymar scored a brace in the game (88' and 90'+1' p), alongside assisting Sergi Roberto's winning goal in stoppage time (90+5'). However, Barcelona eventually bowed out of the Champions League after a 3-0 aggregate loss to Juventus in the quarter-finals.
In a 2017 interview with UAE newspaper Gulf News, Ronaldinho opined that Neymar was at the same level as juggernauts Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He said (via The Mirror):
"Neymar is a close friend and he is Brazil's greatest idol today. He's already at the same level as Ronaldo and Leo and we truly hope that one day he can get the Ballon d'Or and continue his success, but he's already amongst the top and it's just a matter of time."
Neymar Jr. hast yet to win a Ballon d'Or despite bagging nine nominations for the coveted award. The Brazilian superstar finished third in the rankings twice in 2015 and 2017 respectively.
In 2017, Neymar left Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a record €222 million transfer fee. In 173 appearances for the French side, the star forward recorded 118 goals and 77 assists across competitions. The Selecao superstar moved to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023 for a reported transfer fee of €90 million.
When Ronaldinho broke his silence on the Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi debate
Ronaldinho once offered his verdict on the longstanding Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi debate that has dominated football discourse for over two decades. The two titans share over 1700 senior goals (combined) and 13 Ballons d'Or between them (five for Cristiano Ronaldo and eight for the Argentine).
Although both players are well into the twilight years of their careers, they are still considered two of the best in the game. In July 2020, Ronaldinho provided a straight answer to the GOAT debate. He said (via GiveMeSport):
“Messi. I would have loved to continue playing alongside him. I didn't get enough time with him, he was very young. I'd love to take to the pitch with him one more time."
He went on to hail the talismanic Argentine as the best in history.
“He's the best in history, no doubt. Nobody has done what he has done. The other one [Cristiano Ronaldo] is complete, he has it all. So does Messi, but it's a question of taste and I prefer Messi's style,” the Brazilian said.
Ronaldinho played 80 games with La Pulga at Barcelona, sharing nine joint goal participations. The Brazilian famously assisted the Argentine's first senior goal (88') for Barcelona on May 1, 2005 against Albacete in LaLiga.