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Neymar makes Brazilian football stir

VN (according to ZNews) January 21, 2025 06:42

Brazilian football is witnessing a heated debate between two stars of different generations, Neymar and Rivaldo, revolving around the 2002 World Cup winning team.

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Neymar's statement made Rivaldo unhappy

It all started with an answer Neymar gave in an interview with the legendary Romario on January 19. When asked about the possibility of replacing one of the three positions of Ronaldo Nazario, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo in the 2002 World Cup winning squad, Neymar gave a controversial answer.

After some consideration, the striker born in 1992 said that at the peak of his form, he could take over Rivaldo's position. This statement quickly sparked a war of words on social media.

Rivaldo himself later reacted strongly on theInstagramThe former Barcelona striker posted a photo of himself next to the World Cup trophy, along with a video summarizing his five goals from that year's tournament.

In an emotional message, Rivaldo said: "I acknowledge Neymar's talent and class. I even believe he can be in that squad. However, replacing me is a completely different story."

The 2002 World Cup champion emphasized his determination and desire to win the tournament, affirming that no one, no matter how talented, could replace his role at that time. In response to his senior's fierce reaction, Neymar took action to cool down the controversy.

The star, who currently plays in Saudi Arabia, posted: "Calm down, bro. Every Brazilian player at the World Cup gave their all. Some won the trophy, some didn't. That's part of football."

He also expressed his respect and did not deny Rivaldo's importance to the Brazilian team, while cleverly pointing out that the original question was just a hypothetical choice between three players. This debate then sparked interesting comparisons between generations of Brazilian players.

Many fans believe that Neymar cannot replace Rivaldo's position in the 2002 squad, because the Al Hilal striker has not won any World Cup titles with Brazil.

Most Brazilian fans also believe that Rivaldo was the most important name in the legendary squad that brought Brazil the 5th World Cup championship. Therefore, Neymar can only replace Ronaldinho or "fat" Ronaldo if asked.

VN (according to ZNews)
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Neymar makes Brazilian football stir