Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 9y

Neymar better than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - Roberto Carlos

Former Real Madrid and Brazil left-back Roberto Carlos has claimed that Neymar -- not Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo -- is the best player in the world at the moment.

The debate over whether Messi or Ronaldo is the greatest continues to run, with the former having come off the bench to net Barcelona's winner in last Sunday's 2-1 La Liga victory at Atletico Madrid, while the latter has hit eight goals in two games for Madrid.

But Carlos, speaking when being presented as one of La Liga's new big-name ambassadors, told reporters that his fellow countryman Neymar should be talked about as the world's best.

"People always talk about the same ones [Messi or Ronaldo] but I would speak about Neymar," said Carlos, who is currently coach of Indian club Delhi Dynamos. "For me the best is Neymar."

Also at the event was former Barca and Madrid star Luis Figo, who showed his knowledge of the finer things in life while making his point that the constant attempts to compare Ronaldo and Messi did more harm than good.

"It's like choosing between white truffle or caviar," the former Portugal captain said. "Such comparisons are not positive."

Former Madrid defender Michel Salgado, meanwhile, touched on something recently brought up by Ronaldo himself, saying the local media treat him unfairly, while suggesting that people do not realise just how much work it took for the "self-made" Portuguese to be able to match the achievements of the apparently more naturally talented Messi.

"Cristiano is different, he's a self-made player," Salgado said. "His work ethic is spectacular and what he's doing is impressive, equalling Messi's stats and winning Ballons d'Or. I don't think people appreciate Ronaldo's value and the effort he puts into achieving what he achieves."

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