marked by frustration and disappointment, even as the demands on his abilities continue to expand. On the surface, everything appears to be fine in the Brazil camp.
marked by frustration and disappointment, even as the demands on his abilities continue to expand. On the surface, everything appears to be fine in the Brazil camp.
Neymar’s recent Selecao career has been marked by frustration and disappointment, even as the demands on his abilities continue to expand. On the surface, everything appears to be fine in the Brazil camp.
With 25 points from a possible 27, Tite’s side is on their way to World Cup qualifying, having only lost one competitive match in the last three years and with the memories of Copa America glory on home soil in 2019 still vivid.
The Selecao, on the other hand, appears to be trapped in a rut, and their notoriously demanding online betting Singapore fans are well aware of it.
The victories keep coming, but they’re met with apathy and impatience, with even the return of fans to stadiums failing to rekindle passions in any meaningful way.
Simply winning the World Cup isn’t enough for the five-time champions, and it never has been. They must do so with a lot of goals, as well as style and vigor, which have been lacking for a long time.
It’s no surprise, however, that Neymar, the guy tasked with making Brazil’s games more enjoyable, is nearing the end of his rope.
Following the news, Neymar’s teammates in Brazil gathered around him. Tite told reporters of how Neymar has always been terrific after the Selecao’s drab 0-0 draw with Colombia on Sunday, a notable Singaporepool odds that many found shocking as it’s the Selecao’s first loss in this World Cup qualifying round.
Following an unimpressive comeback victory over Venezuela, the draw in Bogota summarized Neymar’s predicament in international colors.
With little help from others around him, the PSG star was forced to press the playtime and time again, and in his desperation, he repeatedly miscalculated in the face of fierce Colombia marking.
Despite the fact that he is only eight goals short of Pele’s all-time Brazil scoring record, he appears to be slipping further away from being mentioned in the same sentence as the Selecao icon or other World Cup-winning legends like Romario, Jairzinho, Garrincha, or Ronaldo.
Neymar could be forgiven for sending an envious glance across to his great friend and new PSG teammate at this juncture. Lionel Messi may be five years older than Neymar, but he is playing with a zest and verve rarely seen in his decade-and-a-half as Argentina’s captain.
The Albiceleste are still on top of the world after defeating their arch-rivals in the Copa America final. They have gone 24 games without losing and are loving every minute of it. This Argentina version, more than a national squad, comes across as spontaneous, free-spirited, and brave as a traveling bunch of high school graduates.
Messi’s Instagram feed now resembles that of a cocky teenager, filled with candid photos of him having fun with his teammates, inside jokes, and snappy exchanges.
In his own country, the forward still has a devoted following. Fans in the Amazonian city of Manaus flocked to see their stars, especially Neymar, who was joined by Flamengo ace Gabriel Barbosa, before Thursday’s match against Uruguay.
Meanwhile, on the field, Leeds United’s Brazil new boy Raphinha was one of the few players to earn a point against Venezuela and Colombia, and he will almost certainly start the round’s last qualifier.
Raphinha’s deception and fearless dribbling breathed new life into both the Selecao and Neymar on Sunday, and with Uruguay reeling from their thrashing at the hands of Argentina, this could be the ideal stage for the duo to demonstrate that relentless results-driven professionalism does not have to mean sacrificing individual expression and joie de vivre.
The tale of Neymar in Brazil is far from over, but the countdown to what could be the turning point in his career has begun in Qatar.
How he manages the pressure, and whether he thrives or flounders under it, will likely determine if he merits his place among Brazil’s brilliant past stars, or if he will end up as simply another good performer who couldn’t quite reach the heights of his forefathers.