“I played against Ronaldo, Messi and Zidane, one player was better than all”

Goalkeeping icon Gianluigi Buffon has said that among all the legendary players he has shared the pitch with, Brazilian star Neymar takes the top spot.

The Italian shooter himself is one of the greatest players in football and can boast over 1,000 appearances at the highest level. After playing for Parma and Juventus, twice, the 46-year-old also spent time at Paris Saint-Germain, where he played alongside Lionel Messi and the aforementioned Neymar.

Buffon won 10 Serie A titles with Juventus and during his second stint with the club he counted Cristiano Ronaldo as a teammate. He also faced Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final, where Buffon helped his country become world champions by beating France on penalties.

However, he reserved his highest praise for his former PSG colleague. Buffon and Neymar only played together on 13 occasions during the 2018/19 season, but the goalkeeper insists the Brazilian deserved much more in his career.

“I played with three generations of footballers,” Buffon told Corriere della Sera. “How can I say it? Zidane, Ronaldo, Messi, CR7, Iniesta. Neymar [was the best]. He should have won five Ballon d'Ors for the player and the person he is.”

Buffon's preference to side with Neymar when it comes to who his best is could confuse some fans who view the former Barcelona star as the epitome of untapped potential. Neymar caught the eye at Santos before joining the Camp Nou where he won two league titles and the Champions League.

He then joined PSG where five Ligue 1 titles and a Champions League final followed. However, the 32-year-old called time on his career in Europe in 2023 when he joined the Saudi Pro League with Al-Hilal.

His move to Saudi Arabia was marred by serious injuries and, at just 32 years old, many believe the striker could have achieved much more. While Neymar has scored 118 times in Paris and also surpassed the century of goals for Barcelona, ​​the Ballon d'Or has always eluded him.

Although he gave Neymar the high honor of his best colleague, he also praised Messi and Ronaldo. He added: “Champions League final in 2015. Half-time. I felt a hand on my back: 'Gigi, shall we swap shirts now?'. It was Messi. The real great didn't never took any air.

“With Cristiano, on the other hand, I have always had a wonderful relationship: confidences, judgments on new talents. I saw in him great strength and also fragility, linked to the absence of his father, to hard road he has traveled I have had to face.

At just 17 years old, Buffon made his debut for Parma against then-Italian champions Milan. The three-time Champions League finalist also praised Milan icon Paolo Maldini and how the famous defender reassured him at such a crucial time in his young life.

“Inside the tunnel I looked into the eyes of Weah, Boban, Costacurta and Baresi,” Buffon said. “At one point someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was Paolo Maldini who encouraged me.

“He also made his debut in Serie A when he was a teenager and knew what that meant. I will never forget that gesture. He was an immense footballer, and he has two qualities that I admire the most: loyalty and courage.”