Buffon concluded his remarkable 28-year journey in professional football in 2023, leaving behind a legacy of excellence at the highest level. ..Continue Reading
The legendary goalkeeper spent 19 seasons guarding the goal for Juventus across two periods, with a one-year stint at Paris Saint-Germain in between.
Having faced some of the finest players over the course of three decades, Buffon shared his admiration for one standout rival during an interview with Corriere della Sera.
When asked who his ‘finest opponent’ was, he said: “It’s hard to pick. I played against three generations: Zidane, Ronaldo, Messi, Cristiano, Iniesta…
“Choose one? Neymar. For the player he is and the person he is, he should’ve won five Ballons d’Or,” he added.
During his season at Paris Saint-Germain, Gianluigi Buffon shared the field with Neymar on 13 occasions and faced him as an opponent during his Juventus days, including the 2015 Champions League final where Neymar found the net.
Despite his incredible skill and achievements with both Barcelona and PSG, Neymar never managed to break into the top two of the Ballon d’Or rankings, as the era was dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Unlike many players who hesitate to declare individual ambitions, Neymar openly expressed his dream of winning the Ballon d’Or but emphasized that the team’s success always remained his priority.
“I want to win the Ballon d’Or, but I’m in no hurry to do so,” he once told Sport Express.
“It’s one of my objectives, something I dream of, but personal ambition isn’t why I play the game.
“I play because I like to and enjoy helping the team and making fans happy- only once I do that, do I hope to achieve personal records,” he added.
Neymar is now back at his boyhood team Santos after a brief stop in the Saudi Pro League, however, despite promising displays the player’s injury issues continue to weigh him down.
