Brazil legend Pele insists that fellow countryman Neymar is not quite up to the levels of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo just yet.
Neymar, 24, finished third behind Messi and Ronaldo at the 2015 Ballon d’Or and has been tipped to become the best player in the world as he has starred for Barcelona since moving from Santos in 2013.
But Pele, who has often tipped the youngster for greatness himself, believes he still has a way to go to reach the highest level.
“I’ve known Neymar since he was little and many years ago his coaches told me he was very good,” Pele told Marca. “That is so but he doesn’t have the quality of Ronaldo or Messi.
“If I had to say who the number one player is today, I would say Lionel. The Portuguese has a different style of play but the best is Messi, in my opinion.”
Neymar is not playing for Brazil at the Copa America, though he did watch their 0-0 draw with Ecuador from the stands, and he will instead turn out at the Olympics in Rio.
