The announcement of the 26 Brazilian players who will go to the World Cup was an exaggerated, commercial, disproportionate spectacle. It felt like a title celebration. The other major teams only informed those selected via the internet.
The only surprise was the absence of João Pedro. Neymar took his place, but João Pedro was expected to be first on the list of center forwards. Ancelotti stated that Neymar could be a starter, substitute, play a few minutes or the entire game. It will depend on the moment, training and games.
Ancelotti says Neymar will be a central striker. You won’t need to return to score or start plays on your own field, like Matheus Cunha does. Neymar will partner with another striker or be the most advanced player.
I still have doubts as to whether the positive factors of Neymar’s presence are greater than the negative ones. Everything is uncertain. Only those who know nothing are sure of everything.
The Brazilian team, as it has excellent wingers and attackers, skilled, quick and dribblers, and is not in the habit of having players in midfield to exchange passes and have control of the ball and the game, should, when facing the big teams, mark from a little deeper to counterattack and take advantage of the spaces left behind the defenders who advance in marking.
I liked the selection of goalkeeper Weverton and young Endrick and Rayan. The two attackers are already ready to stand out in this World Cup.
I think that Marlon, Palmeiras midfielder, who is not even on the 55 list, should have been called up and tested. He is tall, strong, positions himself very well, scores well and has a great pass, fast and forward. The experienced Fabinho, called up as Casemiro’s reserve, plays in Saudi and almost no one sees him. As Casemiro tends to receive a lot of cards, it is important to have a great player to replace him.
At the World Cup, we will see great players, such as Vini Jr. and Raphinha, from Brazil, Vitinha, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernades, from Portugal, Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Rodri, from Spain, Mbappé, Olise and Dembélé, from France, Rice and Kane, from England, Messi and Alvarez, from Argentina, and many others.
It is the stars who decide and embellish the World Cup, as long as they play in organized teams.
Many great players were not world champions, like some of the 1982 Brazilian team (Zico, Sócrates, Falcão, Júnior and others). Much more important than the title, the actions and the theatrical and media speeches is the technical, individual and collective behavior during the career.
Di Stéfano was not world champion. Many Argentines think he was superior to Messi and Maradona. My father said that Pelé was the best in the world, but that Di Stéfano was the only one who shined from one area to another. Because of my father’s words, I tried to play for Cruzeiro from one area to another. When I got past midfield, I was exhausted. I gave up on being Di Stéfano and settled for being Tostão.
During the 1994 World Cup, I was in the press center cafeteria when an older man asked permission to sit next to me. He said he knew me from the 70 World Cup and introduced himself: I’m Di Stéfano. I was scared, I almost fell out of the chair. We had a good chat about football. I later regretted not asking my father for an autograph.
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