Zamorano: Ronaldo is the greatest No. 9 in history; Brazil is more magical with Neymar

Chilean legendary striker Zamorano spoke to Flashscore about the performance of South American teams in this FIFA World Cup, changes in the Brazilian team under Ancelotti, and the importance of Neymar to the squad.

How do you evaluate the performance and current state of South American teams in this FIFA World Cup?

Overall, South American teams have performed relatively consistently. Paraguay and Ecuador lost their opening matches, but Paraguay bounced back in their second game, while Uruguay drew late in theirs. Brazil underperformed in their first match but showed greater competitiveness afterward. So far, Argentina has been the standout South American performer. In a sense, from their opening match, Messi took on the role of team captain, scoring 3 goals and embodying the image Argentina wants to project at this FIFA World Cup.

What do you think of the strong performance of Brazilian clubs, especially given the widening economic disparities in South American football? What impact will this have?

Brazilian clubs now possess significant financial power and invest heavily. Clubs from Chile, Peru, Argentina, or Colombia struggle to compete with Brazilian teams in terms of investment. As a result, in recent Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana editions, although Argentine clubs have won titles, Brazilian teams have generally maintained an advantage. Given their current investment levels, these achievements are unsurprising. This advantage will also be reflected in national team development and overall competitive level.

How do you evaluate Brazil's current performance? There is great anticipation for Neymar's return. What do you think of Ancelotti's coaching?

Brazil is Brazil. As five-time FIFA World Cup champions, their historical achievements speak for themselves. When Neymar is on the field, the Brazilian team presents a different face—more talented, more creative, and more enjoyable to watch. But even without Neymar, Brazil remains a highly competitive team. Ancelotti works with the players daily and understands how to build a team around the current squad.

Regarding Brazil's forwards, Matheus Cunha has been performing well and has already scored 2 goals, but fans and media are eager for more opportunities for Endrick. How do you evaluate Brazil's current forward options?

Everyone is now closely watching Endrick's development. In fact, against Haiti, he came off the bench and scored within 10 to 15 minutes, but unfortunately it was ruled out for offside. Ancelotti observes his training daily and also monitors Matheus Cunha and Igor Thiago. I think Cunha and Thiago have advantages in physical confrontation, while Endrick possesses more refined technical qualities and excellent off-the-ball movement. Undoubtedly, Ancelotti evaluates their condition daily and knows who is better prepared at different stages. For the Brazilian team, there is reassurance in having such excellent forwards.

Speaking of Brazilian forwards naturally brings to mind your famous story with Ronaldo at Internazionale. What was your relationship like then?

Ronaldo is the best in the world. He is the greatest striker in history and the greatest No. 9 in history. I was very fortunate and very proud to play alongside him. Yes, that story is true: he wanted to wear the No. 9 jersey, so I gave it to him and switched to 1+8. In the end, I didn't lose my number (laughs).

Returning to your home country, how do you view Chile's current transitional phase? The national team has undergone major changes, with many players retiring. What are your thoughts on Chilean football's future?

We are in a transitional and rebuilding phase, and this process comes at great cost. Especially after the "golden generation"—Bravo, Medel, Vidal, Alexis, Vargas, Beausejour, Aránguiz, Valdivia, and others—they were all excellent players. But in a sense, we became somewhat complacent with past success. We relied too heavily on that generation's achievements while neglecting youth development and grassroots infrastructure. Now we're undergoing complete rebuilding, and recreating an ideal national team is not easy. It's truly regrettable to see no Chilean team at this FIFA World Cup—our third consecutive absence. The priority now is to quickly appoint a national team coach, clarify our future direction, and build a system around it to establish a proper foundation.

You have watched matches in Mexico and the United States, and now you are in Canada. Given the vast distances between venues, which host city has given you the strongest FIFA World Cup atmosphere?

Indeed, constant travel is necessary given the vast distances between host cities. It's quite different from the Qatar FIFA World Cup, where you could watch three matches in a single day. But FIFA adopted this format because football has become a highly commercialized industry—we can understand that. This reflects modern sports development. Most importantly, regardless of how the tournament is organized, we should enjoy it and make the most of the FIFA World Cup experience.

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