Lionel Messi and Neymar picked as best players at Copa America
Football | July 11, 2021 6:00 ISTMessi dished up four goals and five assists in six matches. Neymar delivered two goals and three assists in five games.
Messi dished up four goals and five assists in six matches. Neymar delivered two goals and three assists in five games.
Argentina has found a formula to try protect Messi, who now at age 34 plays much closer to the final third of the pitch.
1986 World Cup winner Oscar Ruggeri is far from impressed with Neymar showboating skills in Copa America and feels he is never going to be like Lionel Messi.
Defending Copa America champion Brazil is still regarded as the team to beat — not bad for a tournament some of their players didn't even want to be in.
Brazil's quarterfinal on Friday against Uruguay or Chile will be in Rio de Janeiro at Nilton Santos Stadium, of which the field has been heavily criticized since the start of the tournament.
Based on FIFA records, Pele sits first for Team Brazil with 77 goals. Neymar cut the gap to nine after helping Brazil beat Peru 4-0 in a Copa America match on Thursday.
Official statistics from FIFA, soccer's international governing body, put Pelé in No. 1 spot for Brazil with 77 goals. Neymar has 68 after he netted the Seleção's second against Peru.
The Olympics start on July 23. However, the men's football competition starts before the opening ceremony.
Marquinhos, Neymar and Gabriel Barbosa scored in the opener at Mané Garrincha stadium in Brasilia, less than a day after several Venezuelan players tested positive for COVID-19.
The football superstar has denied the accusation and criticized the company on Instagram while training with Brazil outside Rio de Janeiro.
PSG announced the deal on Saturday, posting a video of Neymar wearing a jersey with 2025 on the back.
PSG is only one point ahead of third-place Monaco, which earlier beat Metz 4-0, and Lyon could move level on points with PSG by winning later Saturday at Lens.
PSG said Neymar is back in training, but coach Mauricio Pochettino does not want to take any risks with the Brazil striker, who has been sidelined for more than a month because of the injury.
PSG heads into Wednesday's game with a 4-1 lead from the first leg, which Neymar also missed against his former club after sustaining an adductor muscle injury on Feb. 11
Neymar has been sidelined since he was taken off on a stretcher in stoppage time on Dec. 13 when PSG lost at home to Lyon 1-0 in the French league.
The Brazil star was hurt deep into injury time in last Sunday's 1-0 home loss to Lyon, when his left ankle buckled under a heavy tackle from Thiago Mendes and he was stretchered off the field.
Neymar incurred a left ankle injury in the seventh minute of injury time at Parc des Princes following a heavy tackle from Thiago Mendes, who was then red carded.
Messi succeeded Mascherano as Argentina captain and at Barcelona, they won two Champions Leagues, two Club World Cups, and seven La Liga.
Brazil's soccer confederation on Thursday confirmed Neymar will not play in the South American qualifying match on Tuesday in Montevideo.
Neymar has scored 64 goals for Brazil, overtaking country's legendary footballer Ronaldo, who has 62 goals to his name for the national side.
Top News
Latest News