XtraTime Web Desk: Brazil’s biggest hope in FIFA World Cup 2018 – Neymar Jr makes it very clear that he is not at all thinking of surpassing the legends of his own country in the list of international goalscorers.
Neymar insists he is not battling to become Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer after marking his long-awaited return from injury with a superb solo effort in a 2-0 friendly victory over Croatia at the weekend.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward made his first appearance for club or country in over three months at Anfield on Sunday after recovering from surgery to repair a fractured metatarsal suffered against Marseille in February.
Neymar ensured it a 45-minute comeback to remember on a sunny afternoon on Merseyside after replacing Manchester City’s Fernandinho at the interval, collecting a pass from Philippe Coutinho and beating two stricken defenders before smashing the ball in off the underside of the crossbar.
Neymar, who overtook Zico for fourth spot back in 2016, looks very likely to surpass the 1994 World Cup Golden Ball-winner in the near future, after which only Ronaldo and the iconic Pele will stand between him and the title of Brazil’s top marksman.
However, while the player is happy to keep increasing his tally, he claims he is not focused on exceeding the accomplishments of his Selecao heroes.
‘There is no fight to be Brazil’s national team top scorer,’ Neymar said, per FourFourTwo. ‘I think it’s just numbers.
‘They are my idols, those who were here before me, and when it comes to idols, I will never be better than them. So I respect each one of them, Romario, Zico, Ronaldo, Pele… Because they are my idols. It’s just numbers.