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Edgar Davids: 'Neymar still behind Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo'

Former Barcelona midfielder Edgar Davids says that Neymar cannot yet be mentioned in the same company as either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Former Barcelona midfielder Edgar Davids has claimed that while Neymar is improving, the Brazil captain is still not quite at the level of either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Barcelona's Messi and Real Madrid's Ronaldo have long been considered the top two players in world football, but Neymar's performances over the last 12 months have led to some placing him in that company.

Davids has paid tribute to the qualities of Neymar, but says that the 23-year-old still has work to do to reach the very top of the sport.

"Neymar is from Brazil so you have to come from a different country, you have to adapt to a different system, different players," Davids told FIFA.com.

"He was a talent, still, talent alone is not enough - a lot of big players have talent - but really maximising that talent, working every day, mentally working [on] that talent every day, that is hard.

"It's not easy and you see he's maintained that and he's stayed focused and now you see he is up there [but] he's still not on that level of those two [Messi and Ronaldo]."

Neymar will compete against Barcelona teammate Messi and Ronaldo for the upcoming Ballon d'Or, which will be awarded next month. Messi and Ronaldo have shared the individual accolade over the last seven years.

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Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi vies with Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo during the Spanish league Clasico football match on October 26, 2013
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona12110140112933
2Real Madrid1173121111024
3Atletico MadridAtletico126511871123
4Villarreal116322019121
5Osasuna126331716121
6Athletic Bilbao125431812619
7Real BetisBetis125431210219
8Mallorca12534109118
9Rayo Vallecano114431210216
10Celta Vigo125161820-216
11Real Sociedad124351010015
12GironaGirona124351517-215
13Sevilla124351217-515
14AlavesAlaves124171419-513
15Leganes122551216-411
16Getafe12174810-210
17Espanyol123181122-1110
18Las PalmasLas Palmas122371321-89
19Real ValladolidValladolid12228924-158
20Valencia11146817-97


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