Neymar can be world's best player

The Portuguese forward believes his Barca rival has great potential and touched on his nation's hopes for the World Cup next month.

Cristiano Ronaldo believes Barcelona starlet Neymar could become the best player in the world.

The Catalans signed the 22-year-old from Santos for an estimated €87.2 million and he has scored nine league goals and picked up eight assists in his first 25 games for the club.

Despite Real Madrid's intense rivalry with the reigning Liga champions, Ronaldo thinks that the Brazil international will blossom into one of the world's elite stars.

"I see Neymar as a great player," he told SporTV News. "I think in recent times he has proven be a player with a great future.

"His adaptation into Barcelona was not the best, he had some problems at first, but I have no doubt that he has the potential to be one of the best players in the world or even the very best player in the world."

The 29-year-old was then asked about his country's hopes for this summer's World Cup in Brazil and he feels Portugal have been drawn in the hardest group in the competition, facing Germany, Ghana and USA.

"We're not the favourites," he said. "But we will try to enjoy it. We know that we have a complicated group, in my opinion it's the strongest in the World Cup.

"We have to go step by step. We have a big game against the Germans first and then we play Ghana and the United States to pass the group stage. Then we'll see."

Portugeezer! Ronaldo insists his home side can impress in Brazil, despite being drawn in the Group of Death

'We are not favourites, but we will go and try to enjoy ourselves,' he said.

'We know we have a difficult group phase, in my opinion the strongest in the World Cup, but we will go step by step.

'We have an important game against the Germans in the first game, and then we must play Ghana and the United States to get through the group. Then we will see.'

'His adaptation at Barcelona was not the best -- he had some problems at the start -- but I have no doubt that he has the potential to be one of the best players, or even the best player, in the world.'

High praise indeed from a player who rarely likes the limelight to be shifted from himself, especially if it's in the direction of his nemesis Lionel Messi.

All three players will be on show at the World Cup where, despite being drawn in the so-called Group of Death', Ronaldo is confident that his Portugal side will have an impact on the tournament.