Pele Brands Russia World Cup ‘Second Chance’ For Neymar After 2014 ‘Disaster’

Pele Brands Russia World Cup ‘Second Chance’ For Neymar After 2014 ‘Disaster’
10:04, 18 Apr 2018

As blissfully unaware as we may be, with respect to when or where the next once-in-a-generation star may emerge from, the chances of that individual even matching Pelé’s achievements by winning a World Cup at 17-years-of-age, lifting the trophy three times in total, and playing at the highest level until well into his thirties are unlikely.

From a young age, similar expectations were made of Neymar to at least deliver one World Cup for his country and make Brazil a record six-time champion of international football’s foremost competition on home soil in 2014.  Through a tournament-ending injury against Colombia in the knockout stages and a 7-1 dismantling at the hands of eventual winners Germany in Belo Horizonte however, brasileiro hearts were broken as a prelude to South America’s most populous nation being thrust from its greatest ever-economic boom to its worst-ever recession as further political and social turmoil followed shortly after.

Four years on, despite societal matters having worsened off the pitch, Brazil is far more upbeat about its chances of being crowned in Russia owing to the masterful reimagining of the national team by coach Tite, which saw the seleção waltz through qualification and now find itself among the favourites alongside Spain and the holders Germany.

Though this is now a balanced squad laden with talent, Neymar, having become the world’s most expensive player last summer, is still its main star - which has led to the man he wishes to replicate, Pelé, speaking out on how Russia provides the PSG attacker with a “second chance” after the “disaster” that was Brazil 2014.

“In the last Copa he got hurt, didn’t play until the end, and Brazil lost” Pele explained. “I think it’s a great opportunity for him to make good on this and I also think he’s a great player. So, let’s see if he can help Brazil in this World Cup.” he added.

Considering that Neymar is still just 26 and several other key members of Brazil’s new-look outfit – Philippe Coutinho, Gabriel Jesus, Casemiro et al – hover around the same age or are even younger, one would imagine that there may be further rolls of the dice for the former Barcelona man even if the national team falls short in Russia this year.

In failure, however, pressure on Neymar to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with greats such as fellow Santos academy graduate Pelé, as well as the likes of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, by leading Brazil to glory would only mount while a much-desired ballon D’or would consequently fall further out of grasp. 

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