Was the 2022 World Cup Neymar’s final chance at cementing his legacy with Brazil?
For Brazil, football is much more than a sport. The beautiful game embodies the passion, pride, and heritage of the nation, and the Selecao wear these values on their sleeves as they take to the international stage. As much as football is characterized by team effort, the Brazilian national team has produced some of the game’s biggest individual icons. From the likes of Pele, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, and more, every decade’s turn presents a new occasion for a Brazilian superstar to take the world by storm.
From the 2010s, Brazil’s chosen one has undoubtedly been Neymar. Since his prodigious youth days at Santos, it has been evident that Neymar is a player of rare greatness. The Brazilian superstar has won just about every major trophy possible at club level, while with Brazil, he’s won an Olympic gold medal and the now-abolished ceremonial Confederations Cup. However, one glaring absence in his resume has discerned Neymar’s legacy from that of his illustrious predecessors: he is missing the World Cup title, a benchmark for the Selecao’s future legendary figures.
Neymar’s cursed time with Brazil
As the golden boy of Brazilian football, Neymar’s career with the national team has seen its fair share of triumphs and disappointments. While he has consistently shone individually, his lack of major international silverware with the Selecao has been a notable blemish on his legacy in the iconic blue and yellow kit. Yet, in his defense, this predicament has not always been fully within his control.
The 2014 World Cup is perhaps the most emblematic example of Neymar’s struggle to fulfill his destiny with Brazil on the global stage. As the host nation, the stage was set for Brazil to end its 12-year wait for World Cup glory.
Everything went according to the script in the group stage, as 4 goals in 3 matches from Neymar helped Brazil finish top of Group A. The Round of 16 fixture against Chile proved to be tenser than expected, ending in a penalty shootout victory for Brazil.
A quarterfinal matchup against Colombia would end in Brazil’s favor but tragedy struck when in the 86th minute Neymar collapsed to the floor after a horrific challenge. He sustained a back injury that would sideline him for the rest of the tournament.
Although Brazil would advance to the semifinals, it seemed the very moment Neymar crumbled, the Brazilian dream reached a sudden and bitter end. With captain Thiago Silva also missing through suspension, the hosts were thrashed 7-1 by eventual champions Germany on a day to forget for the Brazilians.
The 2018 World Cup
In 2018, all eyes were once again on Neymar and Brazil as they sought to avenge their embarrassing exit on home soil in 2014.
The Brazilians would breeze through the group stage and Neymar in particular looked to be in scintillating form, scoring a goal and providing an assist in the 3 matches.
After a convincing 2-0 win against Mexico in the round of 16, Brazil were pitted against Belgium in a much-anticipated quarterfinal tie. This time, the Selecao had the full support of their star player and the core of their squad in good health, leaving little room for excuses as they aimed to prove their worth as favorites.
Belgium was in control for most of the match, hanging on to a 2-0 lead since the 31st minute. Brazil continued fighting until the end, with Neymar and the rest of their attacking arsenal trying their best to break through the Belgian defense. However, it was the Red Devils who booked their ticket to the semifinals after the final score read 2-1 in their favor to once again inflict a painful end to Brazil's World Cup dreams.
In 2019, Brazil found solace in an equally long-awaited Copa America victory. The Selecao ended their 12-year trophy drought and brought joy to a passionate nation yearning for international success. The victory, however, was bittersweet for Neymar, as he was injured and was forced to miss the entire tournament.
The 2022 World Cup Was Supposed To Be Different
Despite the heartaches of the last 2 world cups, the Brazil national team arrived in Qatar with an air of destiny within their camp. Ranked atop the FIFA rankings prior to the tournament’s start, the Selecao were eager to prove that this generation of players can live up to the legacy that lives in the colors of their sleeves.
Neymar, in particular, arrived at the tournament in excellent form, having scored 15 goals and recorded 12 assists in just 20 matches for Paris Saint Germain.
As expected, Brazil topped their group and confirmed their status as one of the best teams in the tournament. Yet, Neymar’s World Cup woes continued as he sustained an ankle injury in the first group stage match that kept him out of action until the knockout phase.
Upon Neymar's return, the team showed no signs of losing momentum, dispatching South Korea 4-1 to advance to the quarterfinals against Croatia.
The quarterfinal match was a tense affair, with the Croatian defense holding tight for over 105 minutes with Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic putting in a masterclass between the sticks. However, it would be Neymar who would break the deadlock in the first half of extra time. It was a historic moment for the 30-year-old, as the goal leveled him with Pele as Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer. However, the Croatians' resilience saw them equalize in the 117th minute to send the game to penalties.
In the penalty shootouts, Croatia would reign victorious as Brazil missed two penalties to prematurely end their World Cup dreams. Neymar was chosen as the final penalty taker but the shootout would reach its conclusion before he would have a chance to salvage the loss.
Another year, another early World Cup exit for Brazil, and yet another World Cup where Neymar shone but was unable to climb to the summit.
What’s Next For Neymar With Brazil?
At 30 years old, it is certainly not the end of Neymar’s career in a Brazil shirt. As fate would have it, there is another South American star by the name of Lionel Messi who had to wait over a decade before capturing his first major silverware at the international level.
However, with the level of competition in international football incessantly on the rise and Neymar set to turn 34 by the next World Cup, the window of opportunity for him to firmly etch his name into the annals of Brazilian footballing lore may be closing.