In an interview with Ziggo Sport, the current Santos FC player made his position clear. At 34, the former Paris Saint-Germain star regrets how the game has evolved, with physical power now taking precedence over creativity.
Neymar praises Rayan Cherki as a rare artist in an increasingly physical sport. A compliment that should please the Manchester City forward. “Football has changed. Today, we see very few special players with the ball, like Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, and Rayan Cherki—just a handful. The game is now more focused on power and intensity.”
A Changing Game and Cherki Standing Apart
“That’s why we’re losing an entire generation of special players with the ball: dribblers. When you start focusing on strength instead, you lose part of your talent,” Neymar added, highlighting his concern over the sport’s current direction.
In this context, Cherki’s rise at Manchester City confirms a reverse trend. The Frenchman is establishing himself as a unique player, capable of turning a match on its head with the ball at his feet. The message is clear: while the game becomes more uniform, Cherki embodies a form of resistance—and when a dribbler of Neymar’s caliber points it out, it carries real weight.
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