Brazil boss: Neymar better than Messi and Ronaldo

By Darragh Bermingham

Brazil boss Dunga has claimed that Brazilian and Barcelona star Neymar is better than Lionel Messi and current Ballon D’Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo at the moment.

The attacker has been in blistering form this season, scoring 14 goals in fifteen games and picking up seven assists, filling the Messi-sized void to fire the catalan giants to the top of La Liga.

The Brazilian talisman has five goals in his last three outings including a brace in Barca’s 3-0 win over Villarreal at the weekend. One of his goals was an absolute stunner and an early contender for goal of the season. Fellow attacker Suarez broke down the left and whipped the ball into Neymar, who spun, flicked the ball over his opponents head before rifling the ball home all in one fluid, majestic movement.

"If we look at the ranking by numbers and statistics, Neymar is superior right now," said Dunga. Neymar, at just 23, is ahead of Ronaldo and Messi, in terms of goals, when they were his age.

Neymar has scored 183 goals in 317 matches for club and country which works out at 0.57 goals per game. When Messi was 23, his goals per game ratio was 0.55 and Cristiano Ronaldo’s was just 0.36.

"Neymar has improved consistently since he arrived at Barcelona.,” added Dunga. “He has done all that was expected of him with Messi out. He's in great form."

Neymar is now preparing for Brazil’s world cup qualifier against Argentina and if his current form is anything to go by, the Argentinians better watch out. With the likes of Suarez and Neymar firing Barcelona to victory on a regular basis, Messi’s injury does not seem quite as catastrophic as it may have done just two years ago.