Alex Ferguson: Neymar is ONLY player who can challenge Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

SIR Alex Ferguson claims only Neymar has the potential to challenge Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the title of the world's best player.

Alex Ferguson NeymarGETTY

Ferguson believes only Neymar can match Messi and Ronaldo

Former Manchester United boss Ferguson believes Messi and Ronaldo – who have dominated the Ballon D’Or since 2008 - are out there on their own and have no immediate threat to their status as the best on the planet.

Ferguson says Messi's Barcelona's team-mate Neymar could do it but reckons Brazil’s pin-up boy has yet to fulfil his rich potential.

In an interview with Sirius XM radio station in New York, he said: “You'll always look at clubs like Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United to produce that kind of player you're talking about.

Cristiano Ronaldo Player Profile

Hopefully he'll be the next one who'll produce the type of talent we see in Messi and Ronaldo

Alex Ferguson

“But to be honest I'm not sure there's one sticking out at the moment. The boy Neymar gets a lot of publicity about the potential he's got, but I think that's still to be seen, still to be fulfilled.

“Certainly, most people I speak to speak highly of the boy. When I had Anderson at United, he spoke volumes about the boy's ability.

“So hopefully he'll be the next one who'll produce the type of talent we see in Messi and Ronaldo.”

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?