Neymar keen for Rodrygo to inherit Pelé’s iconic No.10 Brazil shirt

Rodrygo has revealed that international team-mate Neymar wants him to inherit Brazil’s famous number 10 shirt when the Paris Saint-Germain star eventually retires from international football.

Later this year, the Seleção will be seeking to win a first World Cup title in 20 years in Qatar, where an impressive forward line is set to include Neymar, along with Real Madrid pair Rodrygo and Vinicius. Neymar had already hinted that the 2022 finals could be his last and appears to have relayed that message to his compatriots, with Rodrygo apparently in line to inherit the iconic number 10 shirt.

“Neymar said to me ‘I’m already leaving the national team and the 10 is yours’,” he told Podpah. “I didn’t even know what to say to him. I was embarrassed, I giggled and didn’t even know what to say properly. I told him that he must play some more, that I didn’t want [him] to [do so] now. And then he laughed.”

Brazil’s legendary No.10s

Neymar is the latest in a long line of greats to grace the famous shirt for Brazil, following the likes of Zico, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Pelé – while he sits just three goals shy of the latter’s goal-scoring record for his national team. Expectations are high for Rodrygo, who has been capped five times, and the 21-year-old revealed that Zinedine Zidane has also touted him to become the best player in the world.

“Zidane said that one day I would be the best in the world,” he added. “Carlo Ancelotti also spoke about me. I try to train and evolve every day to get there. I was very happy. I have this dream and I know that if I dedicate myself every day, I can get there.”

Brazil at Qatar 2022

Brazil open their World Cup campaign on 24 November against Serbia, with Switzerland and Cameroon also in Group G.