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Neymar Will Usurp Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Says Roberto Carlos

Neymar Will Usurp Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Says Roberto Carlos
Neymar Will Usurp Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Says Roberto Carlos
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Brazil legend Roberto Carlos has backed the country’s current captain and Barcelona star Neymar to put an end to the duopoly Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have when it comes to the Ballon d’Or award.  
Speaking with GloboEsporte (h/t Sport), Carlos suggested the former Santos man “will be the No.1 very soon.” The former left-back continued, stating Neymar “is going to win the Ballon d'Or in one or two years because he deserves it, not just because of his goals, but because of the ease with which he plays.”
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Neymar, Messi and Ronaldo have all been shortlisted for the 2015 honour. The gong awarded to the finest player in world football has been won by Messi and Ronaldo every year since 2008, with the latter taking it four times and the former on three occasions; Kaka, in 2007, was the last player other than the coveted duo to sample success.
Here’s a look at how the illustrious trio have fared in direct comparison so far this year, per WhoScored.com (h/t TEAMtalk):

Statistically, Neymar may not be too far off, but there are still big strides he needs to make before he is rated alongside Messi and Ronaldo.
Granted, last season he was superb in a supporting role to Messi, not only creating chances with his direct running and broad skill set but making vital contributions at key moments. Neymar scored in both legs of the quarter-final and the semi-final of the Champions League in 2014-15, before wrapping up victory in the final with the third goal for Barcelona.
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Neymar has made massive strides during his time with Barcelona.
Messi and Ronaldo have each showcased that kind of level consistently, campaign after campaign, though. While the Ballon d’Or is awarded for contributions over the course of a calendar year, Neymar still needs to show a little more consistency if he’s to be considered among the same sort of revered company.
However, the Brazilian seems to be edging closer and closer to these levels, as he continues to be a much more reliable operator for the Camp Nou club. Since Messi was struck down with injury, Neymar has relished taking on responsibility, scoring five goals in as many games and, as we can see here, courtesy of OptaJose, creating for team-mates as well:
Whether he will continue to have the same impact once Messi returns will be intriguing to see, but there is potential for the pair to link up to devastating effect. Indeed, Carlos claims that having the likes of Neymar and Luis Suarez supporting Messi makes Ronaldo’s goalscoring feats all the more impressive in the capital.
“Messi is phenomenal, but in my opinion, Cristiano Ronaldo is a special player because he does everything for Madrid,” said the former Madrid man. “At Barcelona, Messi plays with Neymar, Suarez, Iniesta, Busquets... At Real Madrid, it's not that Marcelo or Kroos, to give an example, are bad, but Cristiano is more decisive at Real Madrid than Messi is at Barca.”
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Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez doesn’t necessarily agree with that assessment, it would seem:

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Carlos could well be right on Neymar, though.
This year, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to usurp Messi for the the Ballon d’Or, or even Ronaldo for second place, but should he continue having such a positive influence on Barcelona’s play, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be in with a much greater chance next season.
Neymar does seem like the man best set to take over the mantle as Messi and Ronaldo edge closer to the twilight of their careers. He’s shown he can handle pressure and expectation for both Barcelona and Brazil, but expediting the process of nudging those two aside and picking up the Ballon d’Or in the next couple of years represents a massive challenge, even for this impressive young footballer.