‘Lack of respect is ridiculous’ – Yannick Bolasie fires back at Rooney over Neymar criticism

Former Premier League winger Yannick Bolasie has launched a passionate defense of Neymar Jr., describing the ongoing criticism and perceived lack of respect toward the Brazilian superstar as “unbelievable.”

The Congolese, who has spent the last three years playing in Brazil for clubs like Criciúma and Chapecoense, took to social media to challenge recent disparaging comments from high-profile European pundits, most notably Wayne Rooney.

The debate was ignited after Rooney, speaking on a recent episode of The Overlap podcast, sparked controversy by stating he never viewed Neymar as a “top, top player” in the same bracket as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

Rooney argued that Neymar was consistently overshadowed during his time at Barcelona and lacked the sustained elite consistency required to be considered a true great of the game.

Other pundits joined the fray, with some suggesting players like Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mané had superior careers, a narrative Bolasie finds entirely detached from reality.

In a detailed rebuttal, Bolasie argued that European media outlets and former players fundamentally fail to grasp the historical standing of the Brazilian forward.

He asserted that for a decade, Neymar was the only individual capable of truly standing alongside Messi and Ronaldo at the pinnacle of world football.

“It’s unbelievable to see so many people forgetting just how good Neymar was… the only player who stood alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi for years,” the Congolese wrote.

“Respect to everyone, and each person has their opinion, but to me, the lack of respect I see—especially in the European media—is ridiculous. The expectations Neymar faced since he was 15 are something these people will never understand. People in Europe don’t grasp the greatness of Brazil and the importance of soccer to its culture.

“Having lived here for three years and experienced all this has made me reflect and realize just how tough it is for today’s players to find success and even approach those legendary names from the past. Neymar is the king. He played real street soccer on the elite stages of the world and thrived on every single one. These people are just using his name to chase clicks.”

Neymar Jr. is one of the most prolific offensive players in football history, boasting an incredible record of over 450 goals and 250 assists across about 750 career matches as of March 20, 2026.

He achieved the rare feat of scoring over 100 goals for three different top-tier clubs on three different continents: Santos FC in Brazil (149 goals), FC Barcelona in Spain (105 goals), and Paris Saint-Germain in France (118 goals).

In his recent return to Santos for the 2026 season, he has continued to add to these totals, recording 3 goals and 1 assist in his first few league appearances.

Internationally, Neymar cemented his legacy by becoming Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing Pelé’s long-standing record in 2023.

He currently holds 79 goals in 128 caps for the Seleção, while also being the nation’s all-time leader in assists with 58. His international achievements are highlighted by leading Brazil to its first-ever Olympic gold medal at the Rio 2016 Games and winning the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, where he was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.

Neymar’s trophy cabinet includes over 35 major titles, featuring a UEFA Champions League title (2015), a FIFA Club World Cup (2015), and a Copa Libertadores (2011).

He has been recognized with numerous individual honors, most notably winning the FIFA Puskás Award in 2011 for the best goal of the year and finishing third in the Ballon d’Or twice (2015 and 2017).

Additionally, he has been named the South American Footballer of the Year twice and featured in the FIFA FIFPro World11 and UEFA Team of the Year twice each.