Neymar debuted for Santos on March 7, 2009, aged 17, under a question: “When will he be the best in the world?” He became of age, called the boy Ney, became a father, still called the boy Ney, and heard: “When will Brazil have the best in the world again?”
Stupid question! We journalists repeat it.
To a neurotic questioning, a nervous answer: when Brazil is champion again, why!
It may take time, as can be seen from the scandalous fact that only one player from a South American club has scored a goal in this Cup. Two from the Croatian Championship scored, Livaja and Bruno Petkovic.
It seems that one thing has nothing to do with the other, but Brazil has never been champion, having more players called up outside than inside the country. In 2002, there were 13 from Brazilian teams and 10 from Europe. In 1994, 11 to 11. The selection’s first time in World Cups with a “foreigner” was in 1982, Falcão, from Roma, and Dirceu, from Atlético de Madrid.
Only France was champion, having more squads abroad. Football reflects culture. A player trained at Santos is different from someone whose training ended at Real Madrid. Rodrygo will always be different from Neymar. For good and for bad.
Today, you can’t call up who plays the Brazilian without a question mark in the head. Nobody is sure of their level, especially after this Cup, in which Everton Ribeiro and Pedro didn’t take advantage of the few minutes they had. In which only one player from South America scored a goal.
We return to neurotic observation. Brazil haven’t had the best player on the planet since Kaka in 2007.
And what does that matter, given the fact that the national team hasn’t won the World Cup for a long time?
Gustavo Kuerten was number one in the tennis ranking for 43 weeks, the last one in November 2001. Brazil was first in soccer on June 30, 2002, when it beat Germany in Yokohama.
Never again after that.
Neymar was not and will not be the best in the world, unless there is an accident of nature that makes him bigger than Messi or Mbappé in a hypothetical conquest of Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Or if you have a World Cup like Messi’s in Qatar, four years from now, at 34.
Unlikely.
Which makes the question even more silly.
Neymar is in football history for several reasons. He helped Santos regain Libertadores, was champion and top scorer in the Champions League – the only one next to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in 11 years – and the most expensive transfer of all time.
France suffered to beat England, their most painful game, won with Mbappé marked and Griezmann giving the pass for Giroud to decide.
No Frenchman is, at this moment, asking when his number 10 will be voted the best in the world. The reason is not that Benzema won France Football’s Ballon d’Or this year. The concern is to win the third title.
France is the favourite.
Despite Messi, the best player of the 21st century.
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.
