Before the start of the match against South Korea, last Monday (5), Vinicius Junior was stretching his legs in a stretch when Neymar approached to give one last piece of advice.
The Real Madrid striker said this Wednesday (7th) that the number 10, the Brazilian national team’s technical reference, does this to everyone. But in that moment, seconds from kickoff of the World Cup Round of 16, it was just him.
Vinicius Junior does not hide the idolatry he feels for Neymar. He was the one who told him, before the trip to Qatar, what it meant to play in a World Cup. The two will have the role of leading Brazil to the semifinals with a victory over Croatia, this Friday (9), at the Cidade da Educação stadium, in Doha.
If Neymar, 30, really keeps his promise and no longer plays in the FIFA tournament, the best candidate to replace him as the team’s star will be Vinicius, 21, traded with Spain at 18 and scorer of the Champions League title goal in 2022.
“It’s a dream come true [jogar a Copa ao lado de Neymar], huh? I followed Ney’s entire career. He has always been my biggest idol. I always wanted to be around him, do the things he did on the pitch. Over time, he became a friend and today he is a brother who gives me many tips. Every game, before it starts, he takes all the responsibility off of me. Being together with him is living a dream that not everyone can live,” he said.
The proximity makes Vinicius Junior, also due to his inexperience and youth, say things he shouldn’t. At least in the eyes of the coaching staff. It was he who revealed, after the victory against Switzerland, in the group stage, that Neymar had come down with a fever while recovering from an ankle injury. It was one of the cases that appeared in the cast, a situation treated with discretion.
Despite having been the most important and incisive striker of the selection in the one-on-one plays against the scorer, Vinicius Junior has no doubts in pointing out that Neymar will be the main responsible if the sixth reaches the final of the next 18th.
“I was lucky to play with my idol. He gives me all the support I need. Following in his path is important, he is a player who is close to Pelé in goals and, God willing, he will bring us the sixth” , he stated.
Junior is referring to the 76 goals scored by Neymar with the selection’s shirt. Pelé is the leader of the top scorers ranking, with 77, according to FIFA statistics. The entity only uses official match numbers, ignoring 18 noted by the King in friendlies.
Against South Korea, Vinicius scored his first goal in a World Cup. Of the starting attack line chosen by Tite, only Raphinha did not score, something that irritated him when he was reminded of the fact in interviews after the matches.
With an easy smile, Vinicius Junior said that his Spanish league rival doesn’t need to worry because it will happen. Raphinha plays for Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid’s archenemy.
It was the same smile the boy had when a cat climbed onto the bench where the interview was being held, removed by the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) press officer.
Previously criticized for definition problems, the forward revealed by Flamengo made goals an important part of his game. He also incorporated and perfected other moves in the repertoire, such as the trivela pass. In this case, the teacher was Luka Modric, a colleague from Real Madrid and captain of the Croatian national team, this Friday’s opponent.
“Modric has always taught me a lot and continues to teach me day by day, he does everything to keep me evolving. I use him as a mirror, a 37-year-old guy playing at his level is something rare. He taught me that three-finger pass . Every day I’ve been improving to have a wider range of moves”, he said.
Vinicius is not stingy with praise. He also spoke with devotion of Thiago Silva, of Casemiro, of Cristiano Ronaldo, of his friendship with Lucas Paquetá… But nothing compares to Neymar, the idol with whom he now shares the attack of the Brazilian national team in the World Cup.
“He told me that the World Cup is different from any other competition. Now that I’m living it, I know how important the Cup is for our country. He told me that, and I always took it with me. I didn’t know the size, but when it happened the anthem I saw even more the difference in playing for Brazil, the country that has the most titles. I’m happy to be here representing every Brazilian and playing with my idol.”
Just not to say he smiles all the time, he declined to comment on the possibility of breaking his contract with Nike, which has sponsored him since he was a teenager.
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