The agent of Santos and Brazil star Neymar, Wagner Ribeiro, has hit back at Pelé after the former Brazil international suggested Neymar does not focus enough on his football.
Pelé, in comments to reporters, suggested that Neymar is too distracted by fashion and the media and should instead focus on his football.
Given Pelé"s status with both club and country, the stinging comments sent shockwaves through the Brazilian media and brought teammates out in defence of the embattled star.
Renowned agent Ribeiro, though, did not hold back when asked for his thoughts on the matter, claiming that Pelé is jealous of Neymar and should instead worry about his own family.
"If Pelé played now, he wouldn"t be as good as Neymar," Ribeiro told Globo Esporte. "In his era the defenders were all slow and the physical conditioning was different. Because of this, he was Pelé. Now, the defenders fly and Neymar is still one of the best in the world.
"He [Pelé] should worry about taking care of his grandchilden, Gabriel and Octávio, instead of talking about Neymar"s life. He has never cared for the boys. This is jealousy, he should take care of his family."
The row between Pelé and Neymar"s camp has erupted over the past 24 hours and threatens to drive a wedge between two of Santos" biggest idols moving forward.
Source: Globo Esporte
