World Cup 2018: Brazil vs Mexico, 5 players to watch out for
The Round of 16 stage of the 2018 World Cup started with a bang. We have already seen some exciting games so far. With Argentina and Portugal already knocked out of the competition, all eyes will be on Brazilian talisman Neymar when his side lock horns with Mexico on Monday in Samara Arena.
It promises to be yet another thrilling encounter between these two proud footballing nations. Brazil drew their opening game against Switzerland, but they got their campaign back on track in the very next game against Costa Rica with a 2-0 win. Brazil played exceedingly well in their last league match against Serbia and finished on top of their group.
On the other hand, Mexico shocked everyone as they defeated mighty Germany (1-0) in their opening game of the tournament and followed it up with another win against Korea. But Mexico stumbled against Sweden (3-0) in their last league game.
Brazil have a fantastic record against Mexico. But It won't be easy for them to topple Mexico on Monday. Osorio's side really need to play the game of their lives to create history. Mexico will look to hit Brazil on the counter with their tremendous pace. Brazil, on the other hand, will not give away possession easily. As they gear up to face each other in the crucial knockout match, let's focus on five players who could make a difference in this match.
Neymar (Brazil)
It will be a litmus test for Neymar against the fast-paced Mexicans. He hasn't performed that well so far in the tournament. Lack of match practice, due to an injury sustained in February, hampered his preparation leading into the World Cup. But Neymar has worked really hard to get himself fit for the mega event.
Neymar is a big match player. He thrives in challenging situations and is third in the all-time goalscorers' list for Brazil.