Well, here we go again.

The debate over best soccer player in the world never ends. Every soccer fan from around the globe has their own opinion on who is the greatest. Popular opinion is that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the two best soccer players in the world today. Messi and Ronaldo have won the last five FIFA Ballon d'Or awards.

Speaking of greatest soccer players, Pele offered his opinion on the matter.

"Now, after several years of Messi dominance, the best is Cristiano. The future will smile on Neymar. He can be the key man at Barcelona and help Brazil to return to its rightful place in the rankings."

Pele is never shy to give his view on the "greatest player" subject. Although Pele is widely recognized as one of the best to ever kick a soccer ball, he is not without his critics. In 2012 he said Neymar was the best soccer player in the world: "Messi doesn't belong in the conversation of best player ever."

Neymar is an outstanding player in his own right, but he's not on Messi's or Ronaldo's level yet. Many people believe Pele is just playing part in the Argentina-Brazil rivalry. Brazil and Argentina represent one of the most fierce soccer rivalries in the world dating back to the 1930s. One of the most notable matches between the two nations came in the 1982 FIFA World Cup. Brazil won a 3-1 match that was with extremely physical play.

As far as the Ronaldo vs. Messi argument goes, it's a win-win situation. Ronaldo is obviously the bigger player, who tends the score at a slightly higher rate. He has also shown he can change leagues with no negative impact whatsoever, switching from the English Premier League to La Liga. On the negative side for Ronaldo, he doesn't show the same consistency as Messi, but who does?

Messi is a better passer, as he does have a league high 14 La Liga assists this season. Although Ronaldo was previously on pace to break Messi's La Liga 50 goal record, Messi has caught up to him. Messi and Ronaldo both now have 30 goals this season. Messi is the king of hat tricks and consistency. His overall scoring rate may be slightly lower, but he does take fewer shots on goal. Messi has also led his team to a FIFA World Cup final.

There's no doubt Pele is one of (if not the) best soccer players of all-time, but he may be letting this South American rivalry go too far when making judgments. Messi is currently the face of South American soccer, as Pele was in the 1950s through the 1970s. Pele won a record three FIFA World Cups while scoring an amazing 12 goals on the world's biggest stage.

The Ronaldo vs. Messi argument will always be never ending, and Neymar is certainly on his way. Neymar is younger than both Ronald and Messi, and the future is glaringly bright for him. Neymar was recently named the best player in the world under 25, and you could make the case that he has the best dribbling skills on the planet today.

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