The outspoken Miami Heat forward, known for his passion for both basketball and football, has previously hailed Neymar as the “greatest soccer player in the world” back in 2019.

 

Recently, Butler posted an Instagram photo with the caption “ten/ten,” showcasing seven elite athletes who have proudly donned the jersey number 10. Alongside Messi and Neymar, the list includes footballers Sadio Mane, Ronaldinho, Eden Hazard, and Ronaldinho. Both Messi and Neymar completed high-profile transfers this summer, with Neymar now competing for Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, while Messi shines as the star player for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

 

Basketball enthusiasts are now left wondering if Butler might be contemplating a jersey number change following this intriguing post. Currently, Butler wears the number 22 jersey for the Miami Heat. Meanwhile, Messi and Neymar are occupied with international duties, representing Argentina and Brazil, respectively.

 

Ahead of Brazil’s upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Uruguay, Neymar heaped praise on head coach Fernando Diniz, acknowledging him as “one of the best managers in the world.”

Diniz has made an immediate impact by leading the five-time world champions to victories in their first two qualifiers against Bolivia and Peru, having assumed leadership of Brazil’s national team in July.

Neymar expressed his admiration for Diniz, emphasizing the confidence he instills in the players and the autonomy he grants them, stating, “Diniz is a great coach, one of the best we have in world football in my opinion.”

 

Diniz’s impressive track record includes leading Fluminense to the finals of the Copa Libertadores, South America’s premier club competition, this season.

Neymar, who transferred to Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain in August, anticipates a challenging match against Venezuela, currently occupying the fifth position in the South American qualification group with three points.

The upcoming clash will take place on Thursday in the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba, a stadium originally constructed for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This central-western Brazilian city is known for its scorching temperatures, often exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in the summer, making it one of the hottest locations in South America.

 

Neymar commented, “It’s going to be a tough game. I’ll be honest and say it’s scorching out here, but having grown up in Saudi Arabia, I’m used to the heat. Everybody feels the heat, but since the game is at night, maybe it won’t be too bad.”

Following their match against Venezuela, Brazil is set to face Uruguay in Montevideo at Estadio Centenario on the following Tuesday.