"No coach in the world would give up on Neymar" - Brazil manager labels the ex-PSG star as 'one of the greatest players in football history'
Brazil manager Fernando Diniz has leapt to the support of his country's star man, Neymar Jr., ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Uruguay on October 17. The manager spoke up in favour of the Al-Hilal star, saying that he considers him to be one of the greatest players of all time.
The forward was pelted with popcorn after Brazil played out a 1-1 draw at home to Venezuela last week despite providing an assist. He has been the subject of great criticism throughout his career as a professional footballer.
Former Fluminense boss Diniz was appointed as the interim Brazil manager this year to replace Tite, who left after the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Speaking to Goal, he said that no manager in the world can give up on the former Barcelona forward, who is the world's best.
"No coach in the world would give up on Neymar with the hunger he has and the desire he has. I already said that Neymar is one of the greatest players in the history of Brazilian football and world football," Diniz said.
Neymar has been one of the best players of the 21st century, mesmerising fans since his emergence as a teenager. The former Paris Saint-Germain star holds the record for most international goals scored in Brazil's history. He has scored 79 goals, two more than legendary Pele.
Neymar's career arguably unfairly judged on Ballon d'Or failure
Since his emergence as a whiz-kid at Santos in his teenage years, Neymar has been compared to the greatest players. He was regarded as the heir to Ronaldinho in Brazilian football, and his performances were judged on this premise.
The forward has achieved quite a lot in his career for club and country and remains the most expensive player in football history. He helped Brazil win an evasive first Olympic gold medal on home soil in 2016, captaining the side and scoring the winning penalty in the final.
The Brazilian forward has played and shone for some of the biggest sides in Europe, including Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. He scored 105 goals in 186 outings as a player for the Spanish giants, helping them win the treble in 2015.
He scored 118 goals in 173 appearances for French giants PSG, winning 14 major honours at the club. He joined Al-Hilal in a €90 million deal this summer and has endured a slow start to life at the club in terms of goals scored.
Undoubtedly a Brazilian great, he is proof that one can be among the best and most impactful players of all time without winning the Ballon d'Or.