Neymar is closing in on Pele’s all-time goalscoring record for Brazil, but still has lots to do to be an all-time great

LAST Tuesday Neymar scored a hat trick to carry Brazil to a 4-2 win away to Peru in a tense World Cup qualifier.

It also meant that he has overtaken Ronaldo in Brazil’s list of all time top goalscorers.

Neymar’s hat trick saw him overtake Ronaldo as Brazil’s second highest goalscorerCredit: EPA

Only Pele stands in front of him – and with 64 senior goals to Pele’s 77, it would seem only a matter of time before Neymar becomes the top marksman of the most successful team in the history of international football.

And yet still the questions remain.

FRIENDLY FIRE

That match a week ago was a crunch World Cup qualifier – the only meeting in the opening two rounds of the South American campaign of two teams who both made it through to Russia 2018. These were clearly important goals.

But so many of Neymar’s strikes for his country have come in less pressurised circumstances.

Of his 64 Brazil goals, 42 were scored in friendlies. This high proportion, though, is hardly his fault.

So many of his goals have come in friendlies because so many of his games – 66 of 102 caps – have been friendlies.

BAD LUCK IN TOURNAMENTS

Neymar has been part of the Brazil side since the first game after the 2010 World Cup.

Neymar’s 2014 World Cup campaign was brought short by injuryCredit: Getty – Contributor

While in Russia 2018 Neymar was easing his way back into fitness after a long lay offCredit: AFP

As hosts of the next tournament they did not have to go through the qualifying process, and so for the first few years of his international career there was little else but friendlies.

He missed the last two versions of the Copa America. In 2016 Brazil decided they would rather have him for the Olympic tournament, and injury forced him out of last year’s competition.

His 2014 World Cup campaign was, of course, brought short by injury, and in Russia 2018 he was easing his way back from a lengthy lay off, and, histrionics aside, played at least as well as could have been expected.

All this means that the second top scorer in Brazil’s history still has plenty to do if he is to be considered one of the all time greats.

It is clearly a fabulous achievement to have netted more times than the likes of Ronaldo, Zico and Romario.

LEAVING A LEGACY

But so much of Neymar’s legacy will be determined but what his does just over two years from now in Qatar.

Neymar’s legacy will be determined by what happens in the next two years of his careerCredit: AFP or licensors

Some of this also applies to his club career. True, Neymar won the Champions League in style with Barcelona. But it was Lionel Messi’s team.

And since Neymar struck out on his own, he has to live with the limitations of the choice that he made.

Paris Saint Germain are so dominant in France that some of his achievements there carry the weight of international friendlies.

It is all about the knockout stages of the Champions League, in the last few months of the season. Except that this time Neymar and company may well be tested a little earlier than usual.

Their Champions League group looks very interesting. True, Basaksehir of Turkey will be feeling their way in the competition.

But the wonderfully coached Red Bull Leipzig will be full of confidence after their splendid exploits in the last campaign – and also had a close look at PSG in August when they lost to them in the semi final in August.

And then there is Manchester United – not what they were, perhaps, but still much more of a threat than the teams PSG regularly brush aside in the French league.

Paris Saint Germain came close to a first Champions League win before losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

Next up in Neymar’s sights are Manchester United in the Champions LeagueCredit: Icon Sport – Getty

Their campaign emphasised the questions that are still hanging over Neymar – he was both brilliant and brittle, coming up with flashes of genius but collapsing under pressure in the final when the Germans took the lead.

For both club and country, then, the jury is still out on Neymar – with no definitive decision until the next World Cup and the next couple of versions of the Champions League.

But today’s game against United gives him an opportunity to start winning over some of the jurors.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk