Brazil legend Ronaldo insists Neymar is 'loved' and draws Messi and Ronaldo comparison

• R9 insists Neymar is loved 'a lot'
• Compares him to Messi and CR7
• Praises his playing style

WHAT HAPPENED? R9 has shown his appreciation for fellow Brazilian Neymar ahead of the 2022 World Cup, paying him a serious compliment by hailing his footballing abilities and even comparing him to Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi and five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo.

WHAT HE SAID: Speaking to The Guardian, Ronaldo said: “If we talk specifically about football, I doubt there’s anyone who doesn’t love him [Neymar].

"His private life transcends football but I’m not interested. He’s daring, has skill, variety, is quick, scores goals, has personality," he explained, adding: "You could compare him to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, even though they’re from a different planet. On the pitch Neymar is one [thing], then people mix in all the other stuff.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Neymar has constantly fallen victim to comparisons to Messi and Ronaldo throughout his career, polarising fans around the world with his personality and performances. This season, though, he has enjoyed a fantastic and productive start to the campaign, operating at an incredibly high level for Paris Saint-Germain alongside Messi.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR? The 30-year-old has already bagged 12 goals and nine assists for PSG this season, but must keep up such productive form heading into the 2022 World Cup, which gets underway in November. Neymar is expected to be the man to lead Brazil to glory.