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Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Neymar has the potential to be better than Messi, insists Pele
Brazil legend Pele believes new Barcelona signing Neymar has the potential to develop into a better player than Lionel Messi.
The former Santos star completed his €57 million move to the Liga giants on Monday, when he was presented to around 56,000 fans at Camp Nou.
Speaking at his unveiling, Neymar revealed how he was looking forward to helping Messi "continue being the best player in the world" although Pele is adamant that the Brazil forward has all the attributes to potentially surpass his Argentine team-mate.
"Neymar has really gone up the last two years," he told Goal. "He can use both feet well and get up in the air.
"The difference that I try to explain to the people is that both are really good. I love Messi, I love the player. But to make the comparison, I think Neymar has the capabilities to play better than Messi... or maybe not.
"I'm not happy, because Santos lost a good player! But, seriously, I think it's good for him, because Neymar was no doubt the best player in Brazil and now he gets the experience to play abroad.
"Playing in Europe is a little different than playing in South America. Football in Europe is a little more tough, while South America is a little more laid back and technical."
Ahead of the 2014 World Cup being held in Brazil, Pele does not believe the hosts have what it takes to win the tournament, instead tipping Germany and Spain for success.
"I think Brazil have an excellent opportunity to do well," he told added. "To win [the World Cup] is very hard in football, but the team has the players.
"The team had almost three years with Mano Menezes. Now, they have one month with Felipe and [technical director Carlos Alberto] Parreira, they are excellent coaches."
"If you had to select now, one year before the World Cup, I think Germany would be a good surprise, they have a good team and good players, and Spain no doubt. Then Brazil."
The former Santos star completed his €57 million move to the Liga giants on Monday, when he was presented to around 56,000 fans at Camp Nou.
Speaking at his unveiling, Neymar revealed how he was looking forward to helping Messi "continue being the best player in the world" although Pele is adamant that the Brazil forward has all the attributes to potentially surpass his Argentine team-mate.
"Neymar has really gone up the last two years," he told Goal. "He can use both feet well and get up in the air.
"The difference that I try to explain to the people is that both are really good. I love Messi, I love the player. But to make the comparison, I think Neymar has the capabilities to play better than Messi... or maybe not.
"I'm not happy, because Santos lost a good player! But, seriously, I think it's good for him, because Neymar was no doubt the best player in Brazil and now he gets the experience to play abroad.
"Playing in Europe is a little different than playing in South America. Football in Europe is a little more tough, while South America is a little more laid back and technical."
Ahead of the 2014 World Cup being held in Brazil, Pele does not believe the hosts have what it takes to win the tournament, instead tipping Germany and Spain for success.
"I think Brazil have an excellent opportunity to do well," he told added. "To win [the World Cup] is very hard in football, but the team has the players.
"The team had almost three years with Mano Menezes. Now, they have one month with Felipe and [technical director Carlos Alberto] Parreira, they are excellent coaches."
"If you had to select now, one year before the World Cup, I think Germany would be a good surprise, they have a good team and good players, and Spain no doubt. Then Brazil."
win will do for the Eagles against the Harambee Stars
All the preparations, all the flying and all the withdrawals will not
count when Referee Noumandiez Doue from Cote d’Ivoire blows the whistle
to commence the World Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles and the Harambee Stars at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani on Wednesday at 2pm.
All that will matter at the end is whether the African champions get
the three points to continue to hold their own destiny in their hands as
qualification for the 2014 World Cup enters the final bend. The first
match against the Harambee Stars in April showed a Kenyan team that was
ready to soak up all the pressure and hit on the break though their goal
was a masterfully taken free-kick. They had other chances on the
counter but did not take it and were punished by Nnamdi Oduamadi’s
equaliser in the 93rd minute.
But on Wednesday, the Super Eagles shorn of Emmanuel Emenike and
Victor Moses will attempt to do what they did in 2009 – beat the
Harambee Stars in Kasarani. Emotions still run high from that match as
it was alleged that the Eagles won by scoring two offside goals. So to
Wednesday’s encounter – coach Stephen Keshi has bemoaned the flight and
travel arrangements for his team and has said God is on his team’s side
but that is all psychology. What he needs to tell his players is that
they cannot afford to draw talk less of losing in Nairobi.
The Super Eagles have shown over the last two years under Keshi that
they are a hard team to beat so that quality must come to the fore on
Wednesday – make it very hard for the Kenyans to get into any rhythm and
quieten the partisan crowd. At every point, the players should take
their time in taking goal kicks, throw-ins and all set plays. The
Kenyans will be in a rush to score and will play a very high tempo game
in their high altitude, the Nigerians must slow it down at every
opportunity.
But more significantly, at the end of the day, whether they play well
or not – they need to get the desired result – and that is a win.
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