Brazil Attacker Philippe Coutinho Reveals His Picks for Players to Shine at World Cup This Summer

Barcelona forward Philippe Coutinho believes Neymar and Mohamed Salah could perform better than Lionel Messi and Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup this summer.

Messi and Ronaldo have been regarded as the two premier players in the sport in recent years but Salah had an incredible season at Anfield and Neymar adjusted to life at Paris Saint-Germain in similar fashion.

And Coutinho believes the pair are set for a big summer. He said, as quoted by the Sun: “It feels like the right moment for someone to take their chance at this World Cup. Messi and Ronaldo have been up there on their own for so many years.

NELSON ALMEIDA/GettyImages

“I think it may be time for other players to aspire to be the best in the world - and the best at this World Cup, too. For me, Salah and Neymar have serious chances to do that. It depends on how the tournament goes, of course, but they have the talent to do it. Those are the players I would pick out.

"Watching Mo Salah since then has been amazing. He is going to be a player who will be a big hero at Liverpool for a long time, I am totally convinced of that. 

IAN KINGTON/GettyImages

"He can do well in the World Cup, too - it all depends on how far his team can go. But we also know what Neymar can bring. He is a special player."

After three months out with a broken foot, Neymar's return in Sunday's friendly against Croatia proved, once again, how game-changing he can be.

Brazil had an atypically slow start at Anfield, but Croatia couldn't capitalise. Neymar's appearance from the substitutes bench proved to be the difference, as his brilliant run before scoring set Tite's side on their way to a 2-0 win.