It’s not surprising that Neymar was a standout soccer player his entire life. It’s expected. He’s one of the best players in the world right now. That doesn’t just happen overnight. That, however, doesn’t make it any less impressive to see Neymar playing in Brazil age of 14, running around with professionals, including the likes of Robinho and Romario, and fitting in. Sure, the video below is of a charity match, and because of that I can guarantee none of the professional footballers in it are trying hard, but Neymar’s skill is still evident.
The video is a little blurry (it’s from 2006), but Neymar is in white wearing the number 23.
Neymar is just so relaxed. It all just comes so easily to him. He does stopovers for fun; he lofts in a cross likes he’s in his back yard; he pulls off a shot fake that sends the goalkeeper to the ground, and scores. Soccer never has and never will be as easy for 99% of the world as he makes it look in this video, and he was just 14.
Photo: YouTube
If you doubt that other great players of today stood out in the same outstanding way Neymar playing in Brazil did, boy do we have some videos for you.
At the same age of 14, Carlos Tevez was scoring goal after goal against some of the best youth players in Argentina, check it out here. His traditional “bulldog approach” is somewhat there, but he doesn’t have to rely on it as much because he’s just so much better than everyone else. He’s pure class.
Then, of course, there is Messi. The footage we have of him is from when he was a little kid, not even 10. Height jokes aside, he plays the same way he does today, which is to say that you are about to watch a child run circles around the competition. It’s just unfair.
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