Forget the Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate. We’ve now moved onto Neymar vs. Ronaldo. Well, at least Pele has.

The Brazilian legend compared the two stars and asserts that while Ronaldo is a great player, he’s inferior to Neymar in almost every technical aspect. “The only problem that Neymar has is the header. Cristiano Ronaldo is not better than him,” Pele told Universo Online in Brazil, via ESPNFC.

“Technically, Neymar is way better, but he [Ronaldo] is better when using the head. You don’t see Neymar scoring with the head, and that counts,” Pele said.

Now, that’s pretty bold. Neymar is undoubtedly a huge talent, but the “Best Player” debate has revolved around Messi and Ronaldo, not Neymar. Messi and Ronaldo have both won multiple Ballons d’Or, while Neymar’s best finish has been third in 2015.

A look into the numbers certainly shows that Neymar could stand to improve in the air, but Ronaldo does have four inches on the Brazilian. Of the 164 goals Neymar has scored in 126 games, nine have come via the header, according to Transfermarkt. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has scored 502 (!) goals in 324 matches. Of those, 77 have come off his carefully coiffed noggin.

Ronaldo and Neymar, who share a Feb. 5 birthday, will turn 32 and 25, respectively. Perhaps Pele was factoring in Neymar’s remaining years when saying he’s “way better.” Or maybe he truly thinks that his countryman has the leg up on Ronaldo at this point in their careers. Who knows?

It’s interesting that Pele left Messi out of the discussion altogether, though. Pele’s on record as saying, “Cristiano Ronaldo is a great goalscorer, but Messi is the best.” Does this mean Neymar has leapfrogged them both? Or is Messi so far and away superior that it’s down to Neymar and Ronaldo battling for second place?

The debate rages on.

(And for the curious: Messi has scored 483 goals in 306 games, 21 by way of header.)

Source: http://eragbaiblog.com.ng/pele-claims-neymars-way-better-cristiano-ronaldo-technically/

Forget the Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate. We’ve now moved onto Neymar vs. Ronaldo. Well, at least Pele has.

The Brazilian legend compared the two stars and asserts that while Ronaldo is a great player, he’s inferior to Neymar in almost every technical aspect. “The only problem that Neymar has is the header. Cristiano Ronaldo is not better than him,” Pele told Universo Online in Brazil, via ESPNFC.

“Technically, Neymar is way better, but he [Ronaldo] is better when using the head. You don’t see Neymar scoring with the head, and that counts,” Pele said.

Now, that’s pretty bold. Neymar is undoubtedly a huge talent, but the “Best Player” debate has revolved around Messi and Ronaldo, not Neymar. Messi and Ronaldo have both won multiple Ballons d’Or, while Neymar’s best finish has been third in 2015.

A look into the numbers certainly shows that Neymar could stand to improve in the air, but Ronaldo does have four inches on the Brazilian. Of the 164 goals Neymar has scored in 126 games, nine have come via the header, according to Transfermarkt. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has scored 502 (!) goals in 324 matches. Of those, 77 have come off his carefully coiffed noggin.

Ronaldo and Neymar, who share a Feb. 5 birthday, will turn 32 and 25, respectively. Perhaps Pele was factoring in Neymar’s remaining years when saying he’s “way better.” Or maybe he truly thinks that his countryman has the leg up on Ronaldo at this point in their careers. Who knows?

It’s interesting that Pele left Messi out of the discussion altogether, though. Pele’s on record as saying, “Cristiano Ronaldo is a great goalscorer, but Messi is the best.” Does this mean Neymar has leapfrogged them both? Or is Messi so far and away superior that it’s down to Neymar and Ronaldo battling for second place?

The debate rages on.

(And for the curious: Messi has scored 483 goals in 306 games, 21 by way of header.)

Source: http://eragbaiblog.com.ng/pele-claims-neymars-way-better-cristiano-ronaldo-technically/