Rio Nights are strange.
Stop the funeral music. Put the eulogies away in the drawer. Tell the violinist he can leave early today.
Neymar will participate in the World Cup.
On a strangely warm, slow, and noisy night in Rio de Janeiro, Carlo Ancelotti ushered the Brazilian national team—and the public debates in the land of samba—into a new chapter.
For the past six months, all of Brazil has been captivated by the Neymar saga: The Referendum, a drawn-out psychological drama with a huge question mark at its center. With a moment of hesitation and a slight, sarcastic smile, Ancelotti closed that chapter, then presented everyone with a different script. Welcome to Neymar: The Last Gamble, a slightly different kind of psychological drama, which could make for a brilliant summer for Brazil – or ruin it all.
This will be Neymar's fourth World Cup. And almost certainly his last, unless medical science makes a miraculous breakthrough before 2030. For him, it's a chance to fix a few unfinished things, to close his story with the Selecao on a beautiful ending. For Brazil, it's a huge gamble, where they're betting everything on Neymar's extraordinary talent – a talent that needs no proof – while ignoring all the risks involved.
The wind had shifted before the list was announced. Ancelotti, after nearly 12 months of silently resenting being asked about Neymar at every press conference, seemed to have softened his stance.
It's not Neymar, who turned 34 in February, who's playing exceptionally well for Santos. He's been getting playing time, which is already significant after so many injury woes, but he's also been involved in clashes with younger teammates and lost his temper after being mistakenly substituted. The change in tone, therefore, is coming from elsewhere.
Neymar's supporters, previously led by former legends like Romario, Cafu, and Zico, have gained new voices, many of whom hold key roles in Ancelotti's plans. “As teammates, as Brazilians, and as fans, we want him to play in the World Cup,” captain Marquinhos told UOL in March. Casemiro and Raphinha echoed that sentiment in notable interviews. “He is the one who can lead us to our sixth World Cup title,” Raphinha told TV Globo earlier this month.
Ancelotti has always maintained that he is the sole decision-maker regarding Neymar. But last week, in an interview with Reuters, he dropped a big hint. “I understand very well how much Neymar is loved, not only by the public but also by the players,” he said. “This is also a factor, because we have to consider the atmosphere surrounding calling up Neymar. I’m not going to drop a bomb in the dressing room.”
It's noteworthy that the Italian coach returned to that topic on Monday, after announcing the squad. He cited Neymar's improved fitness as a key criterion, but also mentioned team motivation. "With his experience in these kinds of competitions, and the affection the whole team has for him, we think we can create a better atmosphere," Ancelotti said.
Ancelotti's gamble
In theory, that argument isn't wrong. But it has to overcome three questions. First, will the widespread admiration for Neymar, sometimes bordering on reverence even among the senior players, lead to the same kind of burden being placed on him as before? Second, is Neymar willing to be just a soldier in the team, rather than the central figure?
Then there's the "Neymar industrial complex": the analyses and hyper-analyses of his every breath, the fluctuating moralistic panics, the flashy but captivating side performances. Could Brazil be any better without all of that?
"He has the same role and responsibilities as the other 25 players," Ancelotti said on Monday. "He may start, he may not. He may be on the bench and then come on."
But Neymar has always been placed on a pedestal. And with his days at this level numbered, it's safe to assume that Neymar will view this World Cup as a personal affair.
It could be called an unpaid debt. Neymar is the greatest goalscorer in Brazilian history, undeniably one of the greatest players. But the World Cup has never been truly kind to him. He should have been at the 2010 tournament at the age of 18, but wasn't called up and became a victim of Dunga's dry and uninspired management style.
In 2014, on home soil, Neymar was a great source of inspiration until he was kicked straight into the hospital bed by Juan Camilo Zuniga of Colombia. In 2018, he was only half his best form. Four years later in Qatar, he produced a moment of genius that made viewers' hearts stop in the quarter-final against Croatia, but ultimately the Selecao were still the losers after a fateful penalty shootout.
That's not a bad record. Eight goals and four assists in 13 World Cup games is impressive. But Neymar has reason to feel it still doesn't live up to his potential. At least not yet.
Neymar has only made four appearances for Brazil since the defeat against Croatia. His last appearance for the national team was against Uruguay on October 17, 2023. If he participates in the friendly against Panama on May 31, it will be his return after 956 days of absence. Given the injuries he has suffered, caution is necessary. Neymar will be highly motivated this summer, but more than anyone else, he understands that simply reaching this stage is an achievement in itself.
"My dream is to play in the World Cup," Neymar said on Sunday, after playing for Santos against Coritiba. "I've always been clear about that. It's something I've been working towards. I want to be there."
On Monday, Ancelotti granted Neymar that wish. Whether that decision was wise or wrong will now become a central theme in Brazil's World Cup campaign, for better or worse. For now, one thing is certain: it won't be boring.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/neymar-se-du-world-cup-va-tam-kich-bat-dau-post1844809.tpo
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