Skip to main content

Neymar and the curious case of a Brazilian anti-hero

As the star of the World Cup's most traditionally joyful side at this joyous tournament,
Neymar has jarringly cast himself as a villain.


Lionel Messi back at home. Cristiano Ronaldo back at home. Brazil firmly established as favourites.
On the eve of the 2018 World Cup quarter-finals, this situation represents a perfect scenario for Neymar's naked ambition. It makes the me-against-the-world funk in which he is lurching through the tournament all the harder to watch.
The ideal of what Brazil represent on football's biggest stage – the flair, trickery, creativity and ingenuity of 'O Jogo Bonito' – is sometimes a fair degree removed from reality. For the past 30 years, their best teams have come packing a pragmatic punch inside the velvet glove.
But Brazil's best players are generally the world's favourites. From Pele and the heroes of that first golden age such as Garrincha and Rivelino, to Falcao, Socrates, Zico and the best team never to win the World Cup in 1982, up to and including Romario, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. Brazil's brightest talents have always felt like they belong to all of us.
Anti-heroes were for other nations, those many delight in seeing fail. Argentina great Diego Maradona, for example, faced and still faces ill-will from far beyond the borders of Brazil's neighbours. For the Selecao's number 10s, there has generally only been admiration.
All of which means that at this magnificently celebratory World Cup - where Kylian Mbappe ripped up the script majestically in the last 16, where England and Croatia find themselves at opposite ends of cycles brimming with possibilities and the hosts are still upright and swinging against all odds – Neymar's status as a widely derided figure jars somewhat.
The roots of how we arrived here, like much about this resurgent Brazil side, were probably planted four years ago. Cast as the host-nation's would-be World Cup saviour, Neymar suffered a fractured vertebrae in the quarter-final win over Colombia.
It left him sidelined for the 7-1 semi-final humiliation at the hands of Germany but he was fortunate not to sustain a more serious, life-changing injury from Juan Camilo Zuniga's knee in the back.
In a piece for The Players' Tribune at the end of last year, the Paris Saint-Germain star explained how he was told by doctors that a blow two centimetres to the side of the one he received might have ended his career.
This maybe goes some way to explaining the overwrought reactions to fouls we see from Neymar. He has an unforgettable perspective on just how serious an injury on the field can be, of how precious this dream job of his is and how quickly it can all be snatched away.
Anti-heroes were for other nations, those many delight in seeing fail. Argentina great Diego Maradona, for example, faced and still faces ill-will from far beyond the borders of Brazil's neighbours. For the Selecao's number 10s, there has generally only been admiration.
All of which means that at this magnificently celebratory World Cup - where Kylian Mbappe ripped up the script majestically in the last 16, where England and Croatia find themselves at opposite ends of cycles brimming with possibilities and the hosts are still upright and swinging against all odds – Neymar's status as a widely derided figure jars somewhat.
The roots of how we arrived here, like much about this resurgent Brazil side, were probably planted four years ago. Cast as the host-nation's would-be World Cup saviour, Neymar suffered a fractured vertebrae in the quarter-final win over Colombia.
It left him sidelined for the 7-1 semi-final humiliation at the hands of Germany but he was fortunate not to sustain a more serious, life-changing injury from Juan Camilo Zuniga's knee in the back.
In a piece for The Players' Tribune at the end of last year, the Paris Saint-Germain star explained how he was told by doctors that a blow two centimetres to the side of the one he received might have ended his career.
This maybe goes some way to explaining the overwrought reactions to fouls we see from Neymar. He has an unforgettable perspective on just how serious an injury on the field can be, of how precious this dream job of his is and how quickly it can all be snatched away.
He is the most fouled player at Russia 2018, having been impeded 23 times. Most of these have not been dives. Neymar's ankles have taken a battering immediately after his rushed return from a broken metatarsal.
No player at the competition has completed more dribbles, created more chances or had as many shots on target. His goal and pass for the second against Mexico showed a sublime performer shifting towards top gear at the ideal moment.
Neymar's performances should be a cause for a celebration of triumph over adversity and a man trying to settle a score – the sort of universal narrative that appeals at every World Cup.
But then he rolls around ridiculously, harangues another referee and brings himself to the verge of conveniently hysterical tears. The world roots the other way, remembering the man who turned his back on Barcelona for a brighter spotlight, more money and inferior competition, while Brazil hold their anti-hero a little closer and a little tighter.
Neymar's cherished place in the Ballon d'Or pecking order is under threat from Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne when their lavishly gifted Belgium face Brazil in Kazan. Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann also have the chance to state their case for France against a rugged Uruguay in Nizhny Novgorod.
Who could bet against Harry Kane if football actually does, somehow, come home? Luka Modric would undeniably be in contention for the game's biggest individual prize if he leads Croatia to a World Cup triumph to accompany his four European titles at club level.
Neymar's best laid plans have never looked so vulnerable and his theatrics mean plenty would celebrate seeing them crumble.
If he can reassert himself on Friday with a display that reminds everyone why Brazil made us fall in love with football in the first place and park the nonsense that makes many question their affections for the beautiful game, it would be a very welcome development.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AS NIGERIA CRUMBLES, NO UNITY IN DIVERSITY

  In recent times, I have sat down to observe the Horrors going on in Nigeria. I have engaged people in discussion to get their views and in a deep reflection, all i can see is complete disdain, failure and frustration because every sector has crumbled to irredeemable state. Today, i am not writing as a Biafran like I use to, but as an African, who imagines rapid development across the continent of Africa IF Biafra is restored tomorrow. I am just looking at the versed human and technological resources in Biafra Land and how the continent will flood BIAFRA for different businesses. Nigeria must accept the fact that the major root to our problems is DIVERSITY IN CULTURE AND BELIEFS. This is why we have never been United from inception. No Nation with different cultures and beliefs ever succeeded. Some questions you may ask... Can America and Pakistan exist as a Nation considering the fact that they are people with different value system? NIGERIA was created forcefully by a white m...
Post a Comment
Read more

BISHOP OYEDEPO ADDRESSES ISSUE OF LIVING FAITH RURAL CHURCHES LOW INCOME

  NONSENSE ! OUR ONLY CRITERIA IS HOW MANY SOULS WON AND NOT HOW MUCH INCOME. WHEN WE EMPLOYED 7000 PASTORS AT ONCE SOCIAL MEDIA WAS DEAD. WE HAVE MORE EMPLOYEES THAN MOST STATES IN NIGERIA AND WE HAVE NEVER OWED THEM OR TAKEN BANK OVERDRAFT ONCE. THE PASTORS WERE ASKED TO GO BECAUSE THEY WERE UNFRUITFUL. MANY OF THE CHURCHES BUILT CAN NEVER PAY FOR THE CHURCH BUILDING IN 30 YEARS. WE HAVE NO PATIENCE WITH FAILURE HERE. -Bishop David Oyedepo at CHoP *We have built more than 1,000 Churches in rural areas where in the next 30 years, they can never generate such fund, with each costing more than 14 Million Naira. *We are hunting after souls, not income. People are confused about our Ministry. I learnt some fellows said, “you know, they are not bringing income, that is why they asked them to go.” We asked you to go because you are unfruitful. Unfruitful! Blatant failure. Doing what there? We have no patience with failure here. When we employed 7,000 people at a time, Social Media was...
Post a Comment
Read more

5 Final Thoughts on Abba Kyari and Hushpuppi

  1. As with everything Nigerian, the Abba Kyari/Hushpuppi fraud case has taken on a predictably ethnoreligious hue. I’ve read some people claim that Kyari is being targeted by America because he is a Muslim. Ha! Well, Hushpuppi is also a Muslim. His full name is Ramon Olorunwa Abbas. Most Muslims will recognize Abbas as a Muslim name but probably not Ramon. Ramon is the Yoruba Muslim domestication of Abdulrahman. Read my July 13, 2014 column titled “Top 10 Yoruba Names You Never Guessed Were Arabic Names” to understand how Abdulrahman became Ramon (which is also sometimes rendered as Ramonu or Raymond). The name is #7 on my list. Kyari’s replacement, announced earlier today, is a Tunji Disu, another Muslim. Disu is the Yoruba Muslim domestication of Idris. That name is #3 on my list. Most importantly, though, the man Hushpuppi defrauded of over $1 million— with Kyari’s help— is an Arab Muslim. So, the idea that Kyari is being hounded because he’s a Muslim is silly. 2. Some people ...
Post a Comment
Read more