A constant topic of conversation, Brazil's new coach considers Neymar

Neymar is, without a doubt, the main name in Brazilian football for 14 years. At 31 years old, the player is injured and will not wear the national team shirt again soon. Now, in technical command of the national team, the star will have an old acquaintance, Dorival Júnior, with whom he had problems in the past and who spoke about what he thinks about the player currently.

In September 2010, coach Dorival Junior was fired from Santos after a controversy with Neymar, then 18 years old, over a penalty in the match with Atlético-GO. They separated and, despite following the player from afar, the São Paulo coach admitted in Estadão, in November 2023, that his expectations were a little higher in relation to the attacker. Without, of course, praising him for everything he did in football.

“He (Neymar) perhaps could have achieved even more. He is a player who, if he had had a little more calm and a little different development throughout his career, perhaps he could have obtained even better results,” said Dorival, who made a reservation. “I don't know everything that happened in your career. I've stayed very far away from anything he's been able to do throughout this whole process, but he's never lost his nerve. He is a player of the highest level, differentiated, a player like few others in the world.”

Dorival even gave Messi as an example. “Neymar has a capacity that few athletes have, he is outstanding. Then we'll say, “Oh, but he never won a major world competition.” He has already achieved a lot. Would Messi no longer have the value that he has for not having a world champion? Does Zico no longer have the courage that he has? Never,” he said.

The last call

But is there still time for Neymar to win a World Cup? Although the moment is not positive, since the Al-Hilal forward underwent surgery on his left knee to correct a ligament injury and is only expected to return to the playing fields in the middle of the year, Dorival trusts the 31-year-old player. years. recovery to defend Brazil in the 2026 World Cup. “It is never too late, Messi is there, as a great example. Neymar has this ability to make things happen. “It just depends on him.”