Brazil is destroying itself because of its obsession with Neymar.

The controversies surrounding Neymar and Joao Pedro show that the Brazilian national team is still stuck in its most dangerous ailment: living in the past instead of looking at the present.

Neymar is still included in the Brazilian squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Brazil once struck fear into the world not only because of their talent, but also because of their ruthless team selection. At their peak, no one's place was guaranteed simply by their reputation. Big stars could be dropped if they were no longer good enough or didn't fit the team.

But Brazil now seems completely different.

Legendary Brazilian footballer Zico's scathing remarks about Carlo Ancelotti's preference for Neymar over Joao Pedro are not simply a matter of professional debate. They reflect a larger crisis in Brazilian football: its prolonged reliance on past glories.

"Brazil is addicted to nostalgia," Zico said. It's a painful observation, but one that's hard to refute.

For many years, Neymar has almost always been considered the absolute center of attention for the Selecao, regardless of his form or physical condition. Just the mention of Neymar's name immediately shifts all attention. And that's what's starting to make many Brazilians feel suffocated.

Joao Pedro represents the type of player modern football needs. He is an energetic striker who presses relentlessly, moves intelligently off the ball, and is willing to sacrifice for the team. Joao Pedro earned his place through his actual performances on the field, not through his brand name.

But in Brazil right now, that still doesn't seem enough to overcome Neymar's shadow.

Brazil is stuck in the past.

What made Brazil great was their fearlessness in moving forward. From Pele to Zico, then Romario, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kaka, each generation had to prove themselves instead of relying on past fame. No one was greater than the yellow and green jersey.

That's why Brazil always brings a fresh feeling to each World Cup. But currently, the Selecao seems like a team trying to cling to a version of Neymar that no longer regularly appears on the pitch.

Neymar's current form is not convincing.

Zico doesn't deny Neymar's stature. No one can deny that Neymar was once one of the best Brazilian players of the 21st century. He delivered moments of genius, plays that left the whole world in awe.

However, international football doesn't operate on memory.

The World Cup is a high-intensity tournament where players must maintain peak performance throughout many consecutive matches. It's a stage that demands ever-increasing physical fitness, pressing, movement, and discipline.

Meanwhile, Joao Pedro represents the type of player that fits this modern trend. He's wide-ranging, hardworking in tackles, and willing to take on less glamorous roles to serve the team. That's the kind of striker many top national teams around the world are prioritizing.

But Brazil is still being dragged back to the past by Neymar's brilliance. Fans keep replaying old dribbles, old goals, and old memories, while the rest of the football world has changed so much. That's what worries Zico the most.

Ancelotti faces a dangerous decision.

Carlo Ancelotti arrived in Brazil with the mission of restoring the Selecao's position as the world's number one team. But from his very first decisions, he faced an extremely sensitive dilemma: choose the present or continue to protect the iconic past.

Despite being in good form, Joao Pedro will have to stay home and watch the 2026 World Cup.

If Neymar is prioritized despite his less-than-convincing professional form, the message sent to the younger generation of Brazilians will be very dangerous. It will make many players feel that performance and effort are not necessarily as important as reputation. That's what Zico calls " politics ".

That feeling of injustice is particularly evident for Joao Pedro. A player who works hard all season, sacrifices for the team, and constantly improves, yet still risks being pushed to the back simply because Neymar is ahead of him.

Zico even made the rather bitter remark that if Joao Pedro were English or Spanish, international media might have considered him one of the most noteworthy modern strikers in the world. But in Brazil, Joao Pedro still has to quietly wait in the background behind an iconic superstar.

That's the paradox that has plagued Brazilian football for so many years. They consistently possess generations of promising young players, yet they enter major tournaments with a mindset of defending the old era instead of boldly ushering in a new one.

Neymar deserves respect for what he has contributed to Brazil. No one has the right to erase that legacy. But as Zico said, international football is not a museum. You can't win the World Cup on memories alone.

Source: https://znews.vn/brazil-dang-tu-huy-vi-am-anh-neymar-post1652686.html