“I said the world; Messi is from another planet!” - When Julio Cesar made emphatic comparison of Brazil superstar and Lionel Messi
Former Brazil international Julio Cesar once stated that Neymar would have taken over as the best in the world had it not been for Lionel Messi. The comments were made in 2018 when Neymar was playing for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
The Brazilian forward shared the pitch with La Pulga at Barcelona for four seasons before moving to Ligue 1 in 2017. Neymar spent six campaigns at the Parc des Princes, the final two of which were spent playing alongside the Argentinean.
Lionel Messi joined PSG in 2021 following the expiry of his contract with the Catalans, and won the league twice before leaving for Inter Miami in 2023. Neymar also left the Ligue 1 club that summer to move to Al-Hilal.
Speaking to ESPN in 2018, Cesar hailed his countryman as the best in the world but acknowledged that the Argentinean is better.
"For me, Neymar is the best player in the world today. Messi? I said the world; Messi is from another planet! But I think this is Neymar's moment now. The whole world is following him and seeing how he does, even people who don't follow football are interested in Neymar," said Cesar.
He continued:
“They admire him, not only for what he does on the pitch but for how he carries himself off it. I've got a lot of respect for Neymar and I've had the pleasure of playing with him, of winning with him and, like a friend, I wish him all the best to win the Ballon d'Or."
Interestingly, Neymar has never won the Ballon d'Or in his career. He currently plays for Santos.
How many Ballon d'Or has Lionel Messi won so far?
Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record eight times in his career. The Argentinean maestro is largely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.
The 37-year-old is the most decorated footballer in the world, with 46 trophies to his name. His dominance in the Ballon d'Or awards also reflects his status in world football.
Lionel Messi first got his hands on the coveted award in 2009 as a Barcelona player and went on to win it a total of six times with the Catalans. That also includes a record four consecutive wins. The Argentinean also won the Ballon d'Or in 2021 during his time with PSG and in 2023 as an Inter Miami player.