Neymar has been giving praise to a former Arsenal player who’s been making waves. The Brazilian forward has never been shy about showing his appreciation for top talent, and he’s spoken more than once about players catching his eye.
Neymar has been giving praise to a former Arsenal player who’s been making waves.
The Brazilian forward has never been shy about showing his appreciation for top talent, and he’s spoken more than once about players catching his eye.
Even from back home in Brazil, Neymar seems to be keeping tabs on what’s happening at Arsenal.
Earlier in the season, he was among those welcoming Gabriel Jesus back to training after the striker spent nearly a year sidelined with injury.
Now, another player with links to Arsenal has come up in Neymar’s recent comments.
Neymar puts Mesut Ozil among Germany’s all-time greats
In a recent appearance on Kings League Germany’s TikTok, Neymar was asked to name his top five German players of all time, and he included a few picks that might surprise some fans.
It wasn’t the easiest question given how many legends have come out of Germany, but Neymar didn’t take long to settle on his choices.
Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger were all fairly predictable picks. Mario Gotze was a bit more unexpected, though it’s hard to argue with given his contributions.
The final spot went to former Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, a player whose inclusion speaks volumes about how highly Neymar rates him.
Ozil often doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. His style may not have always stood out in highlight reels, but those who played with him or watched him closely understand just how effective he was.
After being left out of Mikel Arteta’s squad for the 2020/21 season, Ozil officially retired in 2023.
The abrupt end to his playing days caught many off guard. Despite that finish, his influence on the pitch is still remembered by those who valued what he brought to the game.
Neymar was once proven wrong about Arsenal
Ozil’s time at Arsenal may not have ended on a high, but Neymar wasn’t wrong to include him in his top five.
But while he was right about that one, not everything Neymar has said about Arsenal over the years has held up quite as well.
Back in 2018, he shared his thoughts on what Unai Emery would bring to the club.
“He will bring good things for Arsenal, which is a really huge club, a really important club in England. I wish him luck,” Neymar said, as relayed by Sky Sports.
The Brazilian’s view didn’t age well. Emery lasted just 18 months in the job before being dismissed following a seven-match winless run.
Neymar’s take on Ozil still stands up though and is one few fans would argue against today.
Category: General Sports
