FIFA World Cup 2018: Brazil look at Neymar for Inspiration

Country – Brazil

Position - Forward

World Cup matches – 5

World Cup goals – 4

On 8th of July 2014 Germany hammered Brazil 7-1 in World Cup Semi final to heap insult on the most decorated side at the FIFA World Cups. Unfortunately for Neymar that insult was an addition to an Injury that he suffered in the previous match against Colombia at the hands, or should we say the knee of Juan Zuniga. A few inches lower, the footballing world would never have seen Neymar again as he would have been paraylsed.

That had come after the forward had made a blinding start to his 2014 World Cup, scoring 4 goals in first three matches to propel his side to the knock-out stages of the World Cup.

It seems a case of Déjà vu as the former Santos man is making a comeback from injury that had threatened to omit him from the World Cup in Russia. A fractured foot against Marseille in March had everyone in the Samba land sweating on the 26-year-old’s fitness. As it is, Neymar made his comeback against in a footfall friendly against Croatia and scored the opening goal to set his team to victory.

Brilliant for Brazil that they will see their best player playing in the 2018 World Cup as his absence would have left a gaping hole in Selecao’s bid to land their sixth World cup. The PSG man was crucial for Brazil qualifying for the World Cup and scored six goals in 14 qualifying games which saw Brazil top the CONMEBOL table and qualify with games to spare.

Neymar’s importance to Brazil cannot be understated, he is the glue that brings the whole team together and his absence would affect the team greatly. Although Brazil have some great players, Neymar is someone, who is perhaps the most important. May be as important as Diego Maradona was to Argentina in 1986. He can single handedly change the course of a game and players like that are worth their weight in gold.

At the club level the forward has had an interesting last 12 months, he was involved in a transfer between two footballing giants as Paris Saint-Germain prized his away from FC Barcelona for a world record fee. From then he had been in great form but stories of fighting with the likes of Edinson Cavani of Uruguay over penalties and him being unsettled in Paris have soured the move a bit. In addition, there have been constant rumours of him being linked with Real Madrid. Whether that or recovery from the injury affects the player in any way shape or form at the World Cup will be interesting to see.