Stars Kaka and Neymar will take the spotlight alongside Falcao tomorrow…

Of the handful of players that achieve legendary status in football, very few manage the feat on their own.

Instead, team-mates are often the most crucial aspect of a star’s ability to score goals, providing assists and creating space for the best in the world to take advantage of.

One player on the verge of achieving great things is Neymar, Brazil’s magnificent young striker who has lit up the Brasileirao with Santos. He has proven himself capable of beating teams all on his own, but for Brazil it is different.

For Brazil, Neymar will have rely on his team-mates to create goalscoring opportunities against tougher opposition and, according to former national captain Gilberto Silva, Kaka is the perfect man to make Neymar a star.

“The pressure [on Neymar] is huge, and it would help to have some more experienced players around to take the focus off him,” Gilberto told FIFA.com. “Of course I don’t know what goes on in the Selecao on a day-to-day basis but, from the outside looking in, I’d suggest bringing in Kaka.”

Gilberto clearly sees the potential in Neymar, who is one of the early favorites with Betfair football to carry off the golden boot at World Cup 2014. But he also appreciates the assist work Kaka brings to the Brazil squad is crucial for the striker’s development.

One legend of the current game that benefits from his team-mates is Lionel Messi. While his mazy dribbles and pinpoint passing are a joy to behold, the Argentine wouldn’t have scored half the goals he has without the assistance of Barcelona’s fluent midfield: Xavi, Andreas Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas.

This can be said about other goalscoring greats, including Thierry Henry when at Arsenal, Raul at Real Madrid and Ronaldo during the ’98 and 2002 World Cups. Like Messi, Neymar has the talent to take on the world but against top-class defenses will struggle to do it on his own. With the likes of Kaka back in the gold of Brazil, however, he has the team around him to achieve future legendary status.

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