Neymar closer to all time top 3 for Brazil
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The FC Barcelona striker now has 42 goals for the 'canarinha' and moves to within striking distance of Pele, Ronaldo and Romario
With his two goals on Tuesday in the friendly against Turkey, Neymar Jr now has found the net on 42 occasions in just 59 matches for the Brazilian national side. As such he moves ever closer to the top three goalscorers on the all time list for the ‘canarinha’. Currently, if we include official competition and friendlies, Pelé, Ronaldo and then Romário head the illustrious ranking.
‘O’Rei’ heads the list with 77 goals in 92 matches, an average of 0.84 goals per game, Ronaldo is in second place with 62 goals in 98 games (0.63), and then we find Romário on 55 goals in 70 encounters (0.79). Neymar’s current average is 0.69 goals per game. Nevertheless, none of the above had scored so many goals at such a young age. At just 22 years of age, if Neymar continues at this pace then he will move into top spot by the age of 28.
Two of the current top three all time leading goalscorers for Brazil are former blaugranes. Both Romário and Ronaldo delighted Barça fans with their goals, albeit briefly in both cases, with their goals in the 1990’s. For his part Pelé is no stranger to Camp Nou having played there in friendlies against Barça in the 1950’s and 60’s.
Goalscoring run
Since last season’s World Cup, Brazil have played five friendly matches, winning all of them, scoring 12 and conceding none. Of those 12, Neymar has claimed 7. The Barça striker is on a great goalscoring streak – with the blaugranes this season he has 12 in 14 official matches and is the second in the goalscoring charts in la Liga.