Rivaldo backs Neymar to join Real Madrid or Premier League in Ballon d’Or quest

Rivaldo has told Sky Sports News' James Dale that Neymar should move to Real Madrid or an English club to help his Ballon d’Or chances.

Neymar left Barcelona to join Paris-Saint Germain on a five-year deal last summer in a world-record £200m deal, but has since been heavily linked with a move back to Spain with Real Madrid.

When Neymar moved to PSG, Sky Sports News was told he wanted to "emerge from Lionel Messi's shadow" and significantly improve his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or in his late 20s.

Real president, Florentino Perez, has claimed a switch to the Bernabeu would make it "easier to win the Ballon d'Or" for Neymar.

Brazil World Cup winner Rivaldo, who won the award while at Barcelona in 1999, says the decisive factor in the individual award is who wins the Champions League.

Real eliminated PSG in the first knockout round and can now claim their fourth European triumph in five years with victory over Liverpool in the final.

"I think that going to Real Madrid, or to some club in England, I think he will have more chances [of winning the Ballon d'Or]," Rivaldo told Sky Sports News.

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"I mean no offence, but we know that the French league is not the same as the Spanish or English league, where there's more difficulty.

"I think he [Neymar] would have more chances to win the Champions League, so... when a player wins the Champions League, he has more chances of being the best in the world."

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Another Brazilian, Philippe Coutinho, will not be involved in the final despite scoring five goals for Liverpool in the Champions League group stage.

Barcelona spent much of their Neymar earnings in bringing Coutinho to the Nou Camp in January.

Should Liverpool win the competition, Coutinho could still be eligible to receive one of the 40 winners medals the club will receive from UEFA.

Asked if Coutinho will regret his move to Barcelona, Rivaldo said: "I don't think so, I believe it was his decision, he decided to come to a great club, which Barcelona is.

"Of course that since Liverpool is in the final, of course he wanted to be in the final, but he plays for Barcelona.

"If Liverpool wins the Champions League, he will also be a champion, because he played games for Liverpool and he will consider himself a champion."

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