Neymar: Has he delivered for Brazil?

The Confederations Cup has a bit to owe to the Brazil team who have set the tournament to life on the pitch even as protests surround the event in Brazil. But they owe it even more so to an individual of the Brazilian team and no prizes for guessing who. The former Santos striker, who completed a high profile transfer to Barcelona before the tournament, has been inspirational so far. He followed his magnificent 3rd minute volley against Japan with a stellar display against Mexico, which is being described as his best performance for the Selecao so far. The fact that it comes in a cup competition bodes well for his temperament and he has justified all the buzz that surrounded his name ahead of the tournament.

Neymar has been hailed as the next big thing for some time now but the eventual completion of his transfer to Barcelona brought that hype to a crescendo. The newspapers and media all over the world have been talking about if he deserves the comparisons that are being made with Ronaldo and Messi. While it may be still too early for us to give an authoritative answer to that question, the requisite ability has definitely been showcased in this competition. Brazil coach Felipe Scolari, however, seemed more than convinced with his star man. He said, “Neymar is a player that we all know is one of the top three in the world, and at 21-years-old. It is fantastic. Now is the time to show all the quality displayed at Santos in the Confederations Cup, then the World Cup.” That certainly is the idea Brazil have in mind with respect to Neymar’s abilities.

One must only steal a look in the direction of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to realize how expectations of a nation can pull a player down. Both Messi and Ronaldo have been key members of their respective sides, with the teams virtually built around them but they have been unable to replicate their club success at big ticket competitions. The Confederations Cup is only an anointment of his ability; all the conquering has to be done with the performance at the World Cup.

Yet, if abilities are to be translated into success, there is a lot of good to be expected. Neymar has exceptional pace on the wings and he matches that with an agility of the mind that is such a key constituent of the great footballer. He is not a one-dimensional player who preys for the ball but is rather always eager to be on the ball, participating in the formation of the attack. He drifts into those spaces where the ball is likely to come to him. Another aspect that is promising about his play is that the players around him seem to look for him on the pitch. That is an indication that he has won the trust of his teammates and they are investing a great deal of confidence in his abilities.

Oscar and Neymar are forming a formidable partnership for the Selecao. This has considerably lessened the pressure on Luiz Felipe Scolari who was beginning to face some hostility from the fans before this tournament as they did not look in a particularly good shape. However, all is not well with Brazil. Neymar aside, their performance against Mexico was not of the quality that will allow them to become a threat to Spain. They have put the points on the board but their litmus test is yet to come. As of now, they await their fiercest competitors in this group: Italy.

Italy will present a real challenge for the Selecao as well as for Neymar. The match will give us an adequate idea of the strength of Brazil going into the semi-finals to play against teams like Spain and Uruguay. It will equally be a test for Neymar who will be targeted tactically by Cesare Prandelli’s side. Italy will try to take him out of the game. He will not have the space that he has been allowed against Japan and Mexico. The business end of this tournament will give us an adequate idea about what to expect from Brazilian football’s poster boy.