Wayne Rooney‘s comments claiming that Neymar had never been “a top, top player” have sparked controversy. And now, Rio Ferdinand has responded.
The Manchester United legend defended the Brazilian star and even compared him to soccer icons like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ferdinand backs Ney
On his podcast “Rio Ferdinand Presents,” which he hosts alongside other presenters, the 47-year-old former English soccer player made it clear that he admires Rooney but disagrees with his opinion on the Santos FC icon:
“I don’t think it was a Wayne vs. Neymar conversation; I don’t think it was that,” Ferdinand began by clarifying.
“I’m one of Wayne’s biggest admirers and shout the loudest about Wayne when we’re talking about what he’s done, what he’s achieved when you put him up against other greats, okay. But I have to say that Neymar could do things that no other player in the world could do. And I’m talking about Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of, he could do things that those two couldn’t do, right?” he continued.
“There’s a time when you’re looking at him and thinking, ‘Right, this is the heir to the throne.’ Like, he was that close at a certain point in his career when he was at Barça,” he said.
Ferdinand and Rooney’s comments come after Carlo Ancelotti left Neymar off the roster for Brazil’s friendlies against France on March 26 in Boston and against Croatia on March 31 in Orlando. This extends his absence from the national team, as he hasn’t played for the Canarinha since October 17, 2023.
The truth is that the reason behind Carletto’s decision was the Brazilian star’s health. Ney was not 100% physically fit after sitting out the match against Mirassol due to a muscle strain. Although he played against Corinthians and Internacional, he was also left out of the match against Cruzeiro as a precaution.
Meanwhile, the Italian coach did not rule out considering him for the 2026 World Cup, but everything will depend on his recovery and whether he arrives at the tournament in top condition.
In this edition, Brazil will be in Group C alongside Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland. They will make their debut against Morocco on Saturday, June 13, at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. They will then face Haiti on Friday, June 19, at Philadelphia’s Soldier Field, and on Wednesday, June 24, they will take on Scotland at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
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