Brazil should have been gearing up for another major home sporting spectacle with renewed optimism that star forward Neymar would help bring to an end a 12-year trophy drought.
But instead, the Selecao’s golden boy is dominating the build-up to a tournament he will miss due to an ankle injury for all the wrong reasons (he is embroiled in a alleged rape scandal).
Coach Tite insists that Brazil is still in fine fettle ahead of the tournament, which it hasn’t won since 2007 when a team inspired by former Real Madrid and AC Milan forward Robinho outclassed Lionel Messi’s Argentina 3-0 in the final.
Tite admitted Neymar would be missed, saying “it’s a shame to not have one of the three best players in the world. After Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, he’s comparable only to (Eden) Hazard, with one advantage: he’s quicker. That’s the player we’re missing,” said Tite last week.
The Selecao’s last warm-up match was a 7-0 thrashing of 10-man Honduras in which Neymar’s absence certainly wasn’t felt, with his substitute David Neres scoring in the rout. Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino also got in amongst the goals while Richarlison provided several assists. The hosts open in Sao Paulo on Friday against Bolivia.
With Neymar out, the tournament’s biggest star will be Messi, who at 31 is running out of time to finally land a major international honour with Argentina.
He has been on the losing side in three finals, including the last two against Chile, and the 2014 WC in Brazil when Germany triumphed.