Brazilian superstar Neymar has sparked a heated debate after declaring that Arda Güler is the best midfielder in the world. The Real Madrid youngster has been impressive, but Neymar’s bold statement immediately divided football fans — especially those in Barcelona.
The comment quickly went viral, and many supporters began comparing statistics, market values, and impact on the pitch to understand what might have led Neymar to say this.
🔥 What Neymar Said About Arda Güler
In a recent video clip, Neymar openly praised the Turkish talent:
He stated that Arda Güler is the best midfielder in the world, placing him above established stars such as Pedri, Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala, or Vitinha.
Whether Neymar truly meant it or was influenced by context is still being discussed — but one thing is certain: his words brought huge attention to Güler.
📊 Market Value Comparison
According to the CIES Football Observatory, Arda Güler is currently valued slightly higher than Pedri:
- Arda Güler – €130.3 million
- Pedri – €130 million
This shows that Neymar is not alone in rating Güler extremely highly.
However, Transfermarkt paints a different picture:
- Arda Güler – €90 million
- Pedri – remains higher
So the debate remains open — and highly subjective.
⚽ Statistical Comparison This Season
While statistics are not everything for midfielders, they help illustrate current form:
- Pedri: 2 goals, 6 assists in 1557 minutes
- Arda Güler: 3 goals, 8 assists in 1646 minutes
Güler has contributed slightly more in direct goal involvement, although both play different roles and systems.
Outside the Spanish “bubble,” another name also appears strong: Vitinha, who ranked higher than both in several individual award lists last season.
🤔 Was Neymar Influenced?
Several factors might explain Neymar’s statement:
- In the video, he is speaking to a woman wearing a Turkey national team shirt
- The origin of the video is unclear
- He spoke in English, which is not his native language
This raises the possibility that Neymar was being polite, humorous, or misunderstood — although he may also truly rate Güler very highly.
🎭 Reaction Among Barcelona Fans
Barcelona supporters are unsurprisingly sceptical.
For many of them, Pedri remains the benchmark midfielder of his generation.
It is expected that Neymar will be asked again about the comment in the future — and fans are eager to hear whether he truly believes Arda Güler is currently the best in the world.
