It’s official. Neymar, 34, barring any injury by then, is going to his fourth World Cup with the Brazilian team.
In the call-up, Carlo Ancelotti opted for the experience and talent of the number 10, the most noble number in football (due to Pelé), in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups, in which Brazil failed, without him on the field (in the 7-1 against Germany, at Mineirão) and with him on the field (in the defeats against Belgium, in Russia, and Croatia, in Qatar).
João Pedro, 24, was left out. Without the Chelsea player, Brazil loses a skilled striker, a good finisher, who plays closer to the goal than Neymar and who had a great Club Super World Cup last year, when the English club became champions.
Carletto concluded that the team will be well served in the middle of the attack with Igor Thiago, if they decide to use a professional center forward.
The discussion from now on becomes this: will Neymar be a starter or will he form part of the squad, coming in if the team needs a creative difference and an athlete who has historically performed well with the yellow shirt?
“Income? What?”, those who read these lines will ask. Goals. Neymar is, in absolute numbers, the Brazilian team’s top scorer: 79 goals. Pelé scored 77. The data is from FIFA.
The King of Football’s average per game is higher (0.84 x 0.62), and far from me wanting to make a comparison between the two in terms of relevance to football. However, no one in recent years has come close to Neymar’s productivity, who still has 58 assists for Brazil.
“And titles? There are no titles in the selection”, will be the reader’s next complaint. Neymar, it must be remembered, won the unprecedented Olympic gold in Rio-2016, scoring a goal in the final (1-1) against Germany and, in the dispute to define the champion, taking and converting the decisive penalty.
Are the Olympic Games not worth it? Brazil won the 2013 Confederations Cup with him, at Maracanã, a 3-0 win in Spain, and Neymar scored one of the goals. Is it little?
Without Neymar, out due to an ankle injury, Brazil won only once, the 2019 Copa América, 3-1 in Peru at Maracanã. It’s not much.
The star’s presence was not enough for the team to win the 2011, 2015 and 2021 Copa América. His absence did not result in success in the 2016 and 2024 Copa América.
In short, on a scoreboard with the World Cup, Copa América and Confederations Cup: with Neymar, Brazil 1 x 6; without Neymar, Brazil 1 x 2.
It was expected that, due to the hype and talent, Brazil could have been more successful when Neymar was present. However, individuality does not always decide in football, a collective game, with 11 starters and (currently) 15 reserves in search of a goal. Putting the blame solely on him for the setbacks is unreasonable.
Once the numbers are exposed, it will be up to Ancelotti to decide on ownership. There will be two friendlies (Panama, on the 30th of this month, and Egypt, on the 6th of June) before the World Cup debut, against Morocco, on the 13th of June. Depending on the lineup, we will know what Carletto wants for the veteran.
With Neymar, Brazil gains in technique, vision of the game, creation of plays, dead balls and individuality. Without, regardless of who plays, they will have more speed, physical intensity, defensive recovery power and collective play.
There are pros, there are cons. You need to put it on the scale and see which side weighs more.
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