"He has a wonderful history in football and reinvented Joga Bonito" - PSG superstar Neymar names Brazilian icon as someone who inspired him
PSG winger Neymar Junior has named Brazilian legend Ronaldinho as the player who influenced his football career. The 29-year-old has showered praise on the former Selecao star for everything he did during his active days in the sport.
"Of course Ronaldinho is a player who inspired me, not just me, but most Brazilians," Neymar was quoted as saying.
Ronaldinho: "Neymar is one of the best players in the world and I would be very happy if he returns to Barcelona."
"He was world champion when he arrived at Paris Saint-Germain. He has a wonderful history in football, he has done unprecedented things," he added.
The PSG winger also lauded Ronaldinho for endorsing Joga Bonita. It is a popular Brazilian football style that promotes skill, fair and creative play as well as honesty and team spirit.
"He has reinvented "Joga Bonito" football, so it is with great pride that Ronaldinho is Brazilian," Neymar continued. "He's a guy who left his mark on football."
It goes without saying that Neymar and Ronaldinho belong to separate generations of Brazilian superstars. Both of them captured the world's attention with their incredible talents.
Ronaldinho: "I'll be happy if Neymar returns to Barcelona, well, everything is possible." https://t.co/nk8MXmCDdh
Despite that, the PSG winger was privileged to play alongside the legendary midfielder a couple of times in the national team. To him, it was an honor to have shared the dressing room with his idol and he is still cherishing every moment.
"I had the honor of playing with him a few times with the Brazilian national team," Neymar said.
Neymar and Ronaldinho's careers in numbers - similarities and differences
Neymar and Ronaldinho have both had great footballing careers even though they're far from each other in certain aspects. Ronaldinho made a name for himself as an attacking midfielder, capturing the world's attention with his exploits from the center. Neymar, on the other hand, is a monster on the left flank, tearing down opposition defenses apart almost at will.
Both players have demonstrated a similar style of play. They've promoted the Brazilian Samba style, which is based on pure entertainment, with electrifying skills, tricks and dribbling. Apart from playing for the Brazilian national team, the duo have also represented both Barcelona and PSG.
In summary, Ronaldinho bagged 197 goals and 163 assists in 543 appearances throughout his club career. He also scored 33 goals for Brazil in 97 games.
Meanwhile, Neymar's tally at club level stands at 265 goals and 205 assists in 452 games at the moment. For the Selecao, the attacker has recorded 70 goals to his name in 116 caps so far.
Also read about Neymar's Team, both current and previous