Neymar better than Pelé? He answers

Published:

By: Nicolas Gerbault

Neymar torpedoes Ligue 1

Now the only top scorer in the history of the Brazilian selection, Neymar refuses to draw the cover on this performance.

Friday evening, Brazil easily dominated Bolivia (5-1) in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. Even though he missed a penalty during the match, Neymar contributed to this victory by scoring a double. The now ex-Paris Saint-Germain player has thus become the one and only top scorer in the history of the Seleção, with 79 goals to his name, surpassing the legend Pelé (77 goals).

The native of Mogi das Cruzes, however, did not want to put himself on a pedestal. “I’m very happy, I don’t have the words to describe how I feel. I never thought it would come to this. But be careful, beating Pelé’s record does not mean that I am better than him. I simply always wanted to write my name in the history of Brazilian football, and today I achieved it,” reacted the player recruited this summer by the Saudi club Al-Hilal, in a post-match press conference.

“Pelé is unanimously the king of football. Imagine beating someone like him…”, Neymar had previously declared on Thursday in a pre-match press conference. “It will be a unique brand and this goal will be dedicated to everyone who helped me”he announced, when just one goal was enough for him to beat the “King’s” record.

Nicolas Gerbault

Written by:

Nicolas Gerbault

Nicolas Gerbault is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Nicolas discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, his expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Nicolas enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans.