Brazilian football icon Zico has provided a provocative perspective on the career of Neymar, suggesting that the Santos forward was gifted with more natural ability than both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. While engaging in the ongoing discourse regarding the 34-year-old’s historical standing, Zico argued that while Neymar’s raw technical ceiling exceeds that of his peers, he has consistently failed to match the rigorous professional standards maintained by the Argentine and Portuguese superstars.
These remarks follow a recent critique from former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney, who argued that Neymar does not deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Messi and Ronaldo. Zico, however, maintains that Neymar belongs in that exclusive trinity of talent, even if his off-field approach has hindered his longevity. Currently back in Brazil with his formative club, Santos, Neymar’s recent years have been defined more by medical setbacks than sporting triumphs; since suffering a major ACL injury in late 2023, he has managed fewer than 40 competitive appearances.
Detailing his assessment to ESPN, via GOAL, the legendary “White PelĂ©” emphasized that the disparity between these icons lies in their application rather than their innate skill sets.
“I’m a fan. God gave Neymar a talent that He gave to a few.
“In this world I’m talking about—it’s Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar. They are the three. But the other two are tremendous professionals.
“He was not being one. Football gave him everything, and that is the problem. But talent? He has more than everyone else. For a while now, he hasn’t known how to make the most of it.”
Zico further highlighted the player’s recurring physical fragility as a primary obstacle, questioning his ability to sustain a consistent run of matches in the modern game.
“It depends on how Neymar is. Put him to play ten games in a row for Santos, and then you can make an evaluation. But in the last two or three years, what was the period that he played that amount of games? He didn’t have it.
“That is the problem—it’s his health. And his injury problems have been made easier. Injuries increased.”
