'Lionel Messi Is My Idol And Cristiano Ronaldo Is a Monster' - Neymar Praises Duo

Neymar and Stephen Curry are two superstar sportsmen at the top of their game but the duo have found time to praise their rivals during a unique interview. 

Brazil star Neymar has been highly successful at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, winning three league titles and a Champions League during his stints in Spain and France. 

Curry, on the other hand, has led Golden State Warriors to three championship titles and has been described as one of the sharpest shooters to grace the NBA.

However, both players have said their respect for their rivals have propelled them to the top of football and basketball respectively. 

Neymar, speaking to Curry via The Players' Tribune, said: 'Facing Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – and I played with Messi, who is, for me, one of the greatest footballers of all time, and he is my idol in football.

'With Messi, I learned every day, whether during our practice, or playing with him, or just watching him play. And that made me stronger and it increased my capacity on the field because I kept learning a lot from him. 

'As for Cristiano Ronaldo, he is a monster. Facing him is a pleasure and an honour, but we have to be more prepared. He is one of the greatest in football so you get smarter, you get alert, but at the same time you learn a lot, too. 

'So, they are two of the big guys that I can relate to, because I want to learn, I want more, I want to win, I want more trophies, score more goals … so I keep learning from them every day.'