Son Heung-min snubs Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as he names 30-year-old as 'best player in the world'
Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min has named Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) ace Neymar as the best player in the world over Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and even Kylian Mbappe.
The South Korean recently became the first Asian to win the Premier League Golden Boot after finishing the 2021-22 season with 23 goals, level with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. His exploits helped Spurs clinch fourth place and a Champions League return after three years as Son reaffirmed his position among the best forwards in the world.
Currently back home with his national team preparing to face Brazil for an international friendly, he lavished praise on Neymar, calling him the best player in the world. Speaking to the press, he said (via talkSPORT):
“Neymar is the best player in the world, and I think I am working hard to become the best player in the world."
The Brazilian maestro endured an injury-riddled campaign with PSG. However, he still managed to score 13 goals and made six assists from 22 league games as manager Mauricio Pochettino's men clinched the Ligue 1 title.
Messi, meanwhile, struggled in his first year in the French capital, netting only six league goals. However, he was a key playmaker with 13 assists, behind only Mbappe, who outshone both Messi and Neymar.
The 23-year-old was the face of PSG's campaign, displaying remarkable form to score 39 goals and make 26 assists from 46 games across competitions.
🗣 "Neymar is the best player in the world, and I think I am working hard to become the best player in the world."
Heung-min Son praises Neymar ahead of South Korea's international friendly against Brazil https://t.co/pMxmpJ7iRP
Ronaldo, meanwhile, was among the few bright spots for Manchester United during a dismal campaign, top-scoring with 24 goals but enduring his first trophyless campaign in 12 years.
Son has consistently delivered for Tottenham since joining the north London side from Bayer Leverkusen, contributing 205 goals (131 goals and 74 assists) from 325 games. However, trophies continue to elude him.
He hasn't won any silverware with the club yet, with only a pair of runners-up medals in the 2019 Champions League final and the 2021 Carabao Cup final.
Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar all playing in their last World Cup?
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is only months away and it could be the last time Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar play in the competition before hanging up their boots.
Neymar believes the next World Cup will be his last for Brazil, as he does not think he will be able to "mentally endure" another.
Messi and Ronaldo are well into their 30s and may not feature at more World Cups. However, Neymar stunned the world last year by revealing he doesn't have the strength to endure more pressure, and this could be his final swansong with Canarinho. As seen in February's report from Goal, he said:
"I think it's my last World Cup [in 2022]. "I see it as my last because I don't know if I have the strength of mind to deal with football anymore."
It will be interesting to see if any of these players can bow out with the trophy.