Legendary midfielder Xavi has tipped Barcelona teammate Neymar to replace Lionel Messi as the world's best player once the Argentine No. 10's career has run its course.
The 23-year-old Neymar, who the Blaugrana bought for a controversial fee from Santos and other investors in the summer of 2013, has been a revelation for Barcelona this season.
Along with South American teammates Messi and Luis Suarez, he has helped fire Luis Enrique's men into a treble-winning position with many decisive performances for the club during the campaign. And the Barcelona captain sees the brightest of futures ahead for the Brazilian, which is a testament to his ability and his demeanor.
"He has an incredible personality. I knew that he was famous in Brazil, but he remains so humble and is a good influence in our dressing room," the 2010 World Cup winner said in an interview with UEFA, before raving about the Barca No. 11's talent.
"He is so good that, when Messi stops, he will be his replacement. He will be the best player in the world, I have no doubt," he concluded.
Neymar has scored 38 goals and provided 11 assists in 50 games this season. And he'll be looking to increase his totals on Saturday, when Barcelona face Juventus in the Champions League final in Berlin.
Neymar, who is the Brazilian national team's seventh-leading scorer all time, is one goal behind Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League goal-scoring race this season.