The Brazilian team is qualified for the round of 16 of the World Cup. Two games with difficult opponents, which closed in and imposed enormous challenges on a selection of rookies. Two wins, three goals scored, none conceded, and the balance just isn’t more positive because, halfway through, Brazil lost (for now) its greatest technical reference of the last decade.
The Brazilian, as usual, before the Cup, seemed suspicious; then, after the debut, he got excited and thought that from then on it would be just a rout and the right six. Fans, calm down. The meme pretty much sums it up.
Brazil started very well against Serbia, it’s true, but that doesn’t mean that from then on it would be just an easy game, calm, without emotion, without apprehension. It’s the World Cup, friends, as Galvão Bueno would say. And it seems that everyone has forgotten the impact that Neymar has on the Brazilian national team.
The talk of the last few days was that Brazil today has a very strong collective game and is not exclusively dependent on Neymar. But that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be missed. So let’s look at the game against Switzerland from the following perspective: of the 11 starters who entered the pitch, 6 were World Cup rookies.
Militão (24 years old), Alex Sandro (31), Lucas Paquetá (25), Raphinha (25), Vinicius Junior (22) and Richarlison (25). Then, even more debutants entered: Bruno Guimarães (25) and Rodrygo (21), who solved the game, in addition to Antony (22) and Alex Telles (29).
Among Brazil’s offensive players in the first half, all are playing in their first World Cup – and this second (28) had the task of resolving a difficult game without the main player of the national team and their generation on the field.
Neymar’s absence has a huge impact technically, tactically and even psychologically on Brazil’s game. It’s not about his personal taste for the current number 10 of the national team, it’s about the game he creates and the leadership he exercises over his fellow rookies on the field.
Neymar carries the ball, attracts markings, cleans up the plays, generates games for those around him. Without him, the team used more crosses than they usually use (25 to 17 against Serbia) and could not find so many tables inside, depending exclusively on the balls for Vinicius Junior to leave, often scored by two players.
The game began to flow much better with the additions of Bruno Guimarães and Rodrygo, the latter with a maturity on the field that calls attention to a 21-year-old. The boy who scored the decisive goal in the Champions League finals for Real Madrid entered without feeling the weight of the match and the absence of his idol on the pitch. It was his pass to Casemiro’s beautiful goal that resolved the match.
Experienced and in his second World Cup, Casemiro played another consistent match, protecting the midfielder, helping build the game and appearing in the area when someone was missing to decide such a difficult match. Behind, Thiago Silva and Marquinhos also played at a very high level. Their performance allowed Brazil to come out of another game without conceding goals.
Front boys are capable of solving games. But it’s much easier to solve them when Neymar is on the field to help and, above all, to reassure. The number 10 is for them what Neymar himself did not have in this decade of selection. Other stars with whom he could share the responsibility to mature with time, without so much pressure. The selection with the rookies is very promising – but with Neymar, then yes, it is ready for the sixth.
As a seasoned news journalist, I bring a wealth of experience to the field. I’ve worked with world-renowned news organizations, honing my skills as a writer and reporter. Currently, I write for the sports section at News Bulletin 247, where I bring a unique perspective to every story.
