Vicente del Bosque is perhaps the most respected figure in Spanish football, which means his words are taken very seriously. The iconic football coach is no stranger to Neymar's behavior, admitting that the Brazilian is no good example, but his football skills are undeniably impeccable.
Asked to choose between Neymar and Kylian Mbappé on who the better player is, Del Bosque cast his vote for the controversial football star:
"Between Neymar and Mbappé - Neymar. He does a lot of stupid things and he's not an example to follow at all, but as a player, he's very good".
However, the Spanish coach was quick to uplift Mbappé and said that the young forward is easily the successor of either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, but needs to "fine-tune his game a little."
Reports in the summer revealed that Neymar had been keen on a return to his former club Barcelona, but a deal didn't materialize. The 27-year-old ended up staying at Parc des Princes, enduring jeers and taunting from French fans despite scoring two match-winning goals.
Del Bosque was speaking after Barcelona captain Messi was awarded The Best FIFA Men's Player prize for 2019, ahead of Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk and Juventus forward Ronaldo.
With the Spain national team, Del Bosque won the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. Before that, he earned two Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles in the four years of serving as Real Madrid's head coach.
Del Bosque's achievements are impressive, to say the least, but when asked if he ever wants to return to coaching, he gave a very solid no.
After a dismal Euro 2016 campaign, Del Bosque left the Spanish job and somewhat stepped out of the limelight. Football enthusiasts have been questioning the 68-year-old's future plans, asking if he'll ever step out of retirement. But the former Real Madrid coach was definitive in his answer.
As for Neymar, he has always been viewed as a polarizing character. Both fans and anti-fans agree that his partying is a bit excessive, add to that his often frowned-upon off-court antics. But inside of the pitch, Neymar sure knows how to prove all his doubters wrong.
The Brazilian star has always been the subject of debate, as many seem to believe that his behavior is not fit for any locker room. Nonetheless, it's undeniable that he is one of the best players in the world.
Neymar has been outstanding for PSG when healthy, but with the young Mbappé making a name for himself, he has somewhat fallen in the expandable category. Still, the Parisian club insisted on keeping him.
