Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney made some comments about Brazilian star Neymar earlier this week that have split the world of football supporters.
As Gary Neville's Stick to Football show always does, controversial takes were brought to the club, and Rooney has surprised many with what he said about Neymar.
The former Barcelona star is currently playing in Brazil as he heads towards the end of his career, and he was dealt a crucial blow recently ahead of the World Cup.
Carlo Ancelotti opted not to name him in his squad for the upcoming international break, which might leave Rooney a little smug after what he said about the forward earlier this week.
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Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Rooney's recent comments have been all over the internet after he claimed that he doesn't see Neymar as a top player, in comparison to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Speaking on Stick to Football, the former Manchester United striker said:
“I like Neymar, but I’ve never seen him as a top, top player. Not like Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. He was good at Barcelona, but he was always in Messi’s shadow."
Being one of the best Premier League players to have ever lived, Rooney is certainly someone who has the right to make comments about top players, but his verdict on Neymar hasn't gone down well with many football fans.
Neymar vs Rooney - Stats Compared
neymar jr santos
Planet Football have now compared the stats of both Rooney and Neymar after the recent debates surrounding the Brazilian forward.
Based solely on his time at Barcelona and PSG, when he was plying his trade in a top-five league, Neymar's stats are the following:
Games: 359
Goals: 223
Assists: 156
Goal contributions: 379
Penalties: 40
Minutes per goal: 133.6
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 162.8
Minutes per goal or assist: 78.6
Team honours: La Liga x2, Ligue 1 x5, Copa del Rey x3, Coupe de France x3, Coupe de la Ligue x2, Supercopa de Espana x1, Trophee des Champions x3, Champions League x1, FIFA Club World Cup x1
Providing more goals and assists than games played is a phenomenal achievement that very few players can boast, and it's certainly a set of statistics that don't help Neymar's case.
The former PSG man has done it to an exceptional level in two of Europe's top-five leagues, with plenty of silverware to go along with it.
Now, looking at Rooney's record, he doesn't quite hit the same levels in terms of Neymar, but he has longevity on his side. The former Everton striker has also done it primarily in the Premier League, which many would argue is the toughest of them all.
Games: 559
Goals: 253
Assists: 143
Goal contributions: 396
Penalties: 27
Minutes per goal: 177.0
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 198.1
Minutes per goal or assist: 113.0
Team honours: Premier League x5, FA Cup x1, EFL Cup x3, Community Shield x4, Champions League x1, Europa League x1, FIFA Club World Cup x1