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Doha (AFP) – Neymar wanted the 2022 Qatar World Cup to be an opportunity to join Brazil’s club of greats and lead the ‘Seleção’ to its first title since 2002 and the sixth in its history, but the 2014 scene could repeat itself after the ‘injury again, and this time from the opening match that coach Tite’s men won against Serbia 2-0.
The Brazilian national team performed brilliantly in the second half of the first leg match of group G and managed to win the three points thanks to two goals from Richarlison, the absolute protagonist of the match, especially with his second goal, which could be the best goal in the ongoing finals, although it’s still early days from now until it ends on December 18th.
The Brazilian joy, however, was not complete after Neymar’s injury, confirmed absent at least from Monday’s match against Switzerland at Stadium 974 in Doha, after suffering a sprained ankle and having to leave the opening match 10 minutes before its end.
Team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed the Paris Saint-Germain star’s absence from the match against Switzerland, but the player himself “is confident he has a chance to return for the rest of the tournament.”
Lasmar said in a video broadcast by the Brazilian Football Confederation that Neymar is suffering from a “collateral ligament tear” in his ankle, while defender Danilo, in turn, sprained his ankle.
“One of the worst moments of my career”
He added: “The two players will not be available for our next match but are continuing their treatment with the aim of regaining their services in time for the remainder of the tournament.”
But Brazilian newspaper ‘Globo Esporte’ has indicated that Neymar could also miss the final group stage match against Cameroon on December 2, provided he returns to the final group if the Selecao qualify.
In turn, Neymar wrote on his Instagram account: “Today is one of the worst moments of my career … and more than that, (the injury occurs) again at the World Cup.”
He continued: “I have an injury, yes it’s frustrating and painful, but I’m sure I have a chance to come back because I will do my best to help my country, my colleagues and myself.”
Neymar left the Lusail stadium with a limp on Thursday after contact with Nikola Milenkovic. Images of a swollen right ankle raised fears for the worst, despite Selecao’s convincing initial victory.
After the post-match press conference, Neymar limped off, not answering reporters’ questions, wearing huge headphones, accompanied by a member of the coaching staff.
“We are confident that Neymar will play again in the World Cup,” coach Tite said firmly.
Does the nightmare of 2014 repeat itself?
Neymar had previously suffered a right ankle injury in 2019, which forced him to withdraw from participating in Copa America competition.
Neymar, who is competing in the World Cup for the third time at the age of 30, has entered this competition in good shape after a stellar start to the season with his club Paris Saint-Germain.
And Neymar’s injury brings to mind what happened at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil when he suffered a serious back injury during the quarter-final match against Colombia, which prevented him from being with his national team in the semi-finals, in which received a historic humiliating defeat at the hands of Germany 1-7.
Neymar said on Friday: “Nobody gave me anything or (anything) it wasn’t easy. I always had to chase my dreams and my goals.”
“For me to wait so long (for the World Cup) for my opponent to knock me down like that? Never! The pride and love I feel when I wear this shirt is inexplicable. If God gave me the ability to choose a country to be born in, it would be Brazil.”
It is true that Brazil have an offensive arsenal to use in the third meeting with Switzerland in the final, after the group stage for the 1950 (2-2) and 2018 (1-1) versions, but the absence of a player with Hala Neymar will certainly affect the morale of the “Seleção” in the face of a difficult team: he blew Italy through the finals for the second time in a row by beating them in the European qualifiers (leading the group and forcing them to play match-offs, where they fell in the North Macedonia).
The Swiss national team got off to a flying start to their career by defeating Cameroon with Cameroon native Briel Empolo’s goal, and will at least try to come out of their third draw with the South American giants in the World Finals.
Brazil is at a loss
Switzerland centre-back Nico Alvedi said on Saturday his side would not be intimidated by Brazil’s strength.
And on Neymar’s absence, the German Borussia Monchengladbach player added: “It won’t change much for us. They have a lot of players in this position… I won’t sleep better because Neymar won’t play.”
The Brazilian’s victory over “Nati” could be enough for Tite’s men to settle the price of the final, provided that the second game does not end with the victory of Serbia and Cameroon, who seek compensation and return to fight for one of the two cards when they face each other at the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah in the first confrontation between the two teams. The level of the tournaments and the second in total, after the first friendly held in 2010 and ended with the victory of the European team 4-3.
© 2022 AFP
