I disagree with this article. Neymar was on his pathway to the eclipse Messi and Ronaldo. However, he decided to leave Barcelona for PSG which redirected his career. In fact, prior to his first injury in PSG he was an having an all time great season. Neymar's finishing, playmaking, vision, passing, dribbling reached a new level. He had like 44g/a in 30 games for PSG (28 goals and 16 assists).
According to reports from Neymar doctors, injury crisis at PSG was caused by the decision not to treat a stress-fracture on his fifth metarsal that he had sustained before the season began. The decision ultimately led to multiple of injuries during at PSG which got progressively worse as he got older. Furthermore, Neymar was not the most disciplined footballer he would come to training drunk, constantly partied and womanised.
The strong culture and hierarchy at Barcelona elevated Neymar as a player. It him prevented from losing focus and maintain a degree of professionalism. Unlike, PSG which allowed Neymar to practically do whatever he wanted. At Barcelona, he had messi and Suarez to guide and mentor him.
Neymar isn't a victim of Messi and Ronaldo dominance. He is victim of his lack of patience, bad decision making, and ego. If Neymar had stayed in Barcelona for one more season he would have won the ballondor. He was truly the predestined heir to Messi and Ronaldo's throne.
Realistically, i think it is unlikely for Neymar to win an international trophy. However, there is possibility for him to win the world cup with Brazil. This would require Neymar reinventing himself as a player and Brazil National Team's players to step up particularly key players like Vinicius Junior, Bruno Guimaraes, Rodrygo etc. Essentially perfect set of events that work in his favour.
Neymar at this stage of his has suffered immense decline his athleticism and physicality due to numerous injuries most especially the ACL tear. As a result, he is no longer as effective as a dribbler that he used to be in his prime. To compensate for this, he would need to play in much deeper role on the offensive end. This would enable Neymar to focus on primarily his passing, vision, and playmaking ability to create chaos for opposing defenders, and produce quality chances for electric wingers like vincius and raphinha. This three qualities are unlikely to decline due to Neymar's footballing IQ and overall ability to read the game. Furthermore, it would also allow him to be selective with his finishing around the box. Neymar would also need to become more direct and calculative whilst playing football rather than resulting to flashy tricks. Overall Neymar would become more of an advanced playmaker.
To reinvent himself Neymar needs to be more disciplined and focus. This would require less partying, limited drinking, and overall place greater care of his body.
A fully healthy and reinvented Neymar would elevate Brazil's midfield creating space for Vinicius Junior to be at his best. In addition, Brazilian National team needs to learn to maintain their poise and composure while competing in international tournaments like the world cup. It can be argued that a lack of composure has hindered Brazil success in previous world cup tournaments. Brazil has as a tendency to fall apart when things are not going there way during the world cup e.g. 2022 against Croatia, and 2018 Belgium.
Lastly, Brazil will need to be very lucky. Spain, Argentina, and France are the favourites for the upcoming world cup. Whilst, England is a dark horse contender due to thomas tuchel taking over as their manager. Germany could have a potential renaissance after underwhelming in previous tournaments. Therefore, Brazil would need to be at their very best to win the world cup. In addition, Brazil should be less dependent on Neymar carrying them, and be a more collective team.
Neymar's story is pretty much the case of every player during that Messi-Ronaldo era, no matter how good you are, you generally get overlooked due to two of them being the best in business. Tons of players were incredible back in the day but those two were the centre of attention due to being opponents of two biggest rivals and their consistent performances year after year. I guess we can take 2018 as an exception when both gentlemen had incredible club level performance but their national teams had to face an early exit and a Croatian magician stole the show, who not only won CL that year with Madrid but shook the world with his performances for the national team in the World Cup.
In an era where tactical systems began to take more rigid shapes, where statistics and money-ball grabbed headlines, I feel like those players who seem like bygones and byproducts of a cruel time must be celebrated like the Barclaysmen, who continued to put the enjoyment and liveliness into a game increasingly dominated by couch-analysts who refuse to watch a single game completely, open their mind and see how different these players were.
Neymar was one of them, one of the true sparks of Joga bonito that we've witnessed in the modern footballing era. He's pretty much the reason, why I and so many others began to celebrate like him, play like him, enjoy like him for that matter. But I regret what the Messi-Ronaldo era did to him, more specifically the media. He should be encouraged, not made a scapegoat for the Brazilian team. And his lifestyle right now is what the media transformed him into, not the skinny kid from Santos who could dance through defences while enjoying himself. I don't think its him that caused these mental and physical issues, but rather people saying he'll never be enough, or never was enough.
He needs neither yes-men nor scathing skeptics around him at this moment, he needs to just get his head back to the game and enjoy the game. He still has time, but he needs space to reinvent himself and rediscover himself.
I disagree with this article. Neymar was on his pathway to the eclipse Messi and Ronaldo. However, he decided to leave Barcelona for PSG which redirected his career. In fact, prior to his first injury in PSG he was an having an all time great season. Neymar's finishing, playmaking, vision, passing, dribbling reached a new level. He had like 44g/a in 30 games for PSG (28 goals and 16 assists).
According to reports from Neymar doctors, injury crisis at PSG was caused by the decision not to treat a stress-fracture on his fifth metarsal that he had sustained before the season began. The decision ultimately led to multiple of injuries during at PSG which got progressively worse as he got older. Furthermore, Neymar was not the most disciplined footballer he would come to training drunk, constantly partied and womanised.
The strong culture and hierarchy at Barcelona elevated Neymar as a player. It him prevented from losing focus and maintain a degree of professionalism. Unlike, PSG which allowed Neymar to practically do whatever he wanted. At Barcelona, he had messi and Suarez to guide and mentor him.
Neymar isn't a victim of Messi and Ronaldo dominance. He is victim of his lack of patience, bad decision making, and ego. If Neymar had stayed in Barcelona for one more season he would have won the ballondor. He was truly the predestined heir to Messi and Ronaldo's throne.
Some great points man, super interesting.
I wonder do you believe there's still possibility to win an international trophy?
Realistically, i think it is unlikely for Neymar to win an international trophy. However, there is possibility for him to win the world cup with Brazil. This would require Neymar reinventing himself as a player and Brazil National Team's players to step up particularly key players like Vinicius Junior, Bruno Guimaraes, Rodrygo etc. Essentially perfect set of events that work in his favour.
Neymar at this stage of his has suffered immense decline his athleticism and physicality due to numerous injuries most especially the ACL tear. As a result, he is no longer as effective as a dribbler that he used to be in his prime. To compensate for this, he would need to play in much deeper role on the offensive end. This would enable Neymar to focus on primarily his passing, vision, and playmaking ability to create chaos for opposing defenders, and produce quality chances for electric wingers like vincius and raphinha. This three qualities are unlikely to decline due to Neymar's footballing IQ and overall ability to read the game. Furthermore, it would also allow him to be selective with his finishing around the box. Neymar would also need to become more direct and calculative whilst playing football rather than resulting to flashy tricks. Overall Neymar would become more of an advanced playmaker.
To reinvent himself Neymar needs to be more disciplined and focus. This would require less partying, limited drinking, and overall place greater care of his body.
A fully healthy and reinvented Neymar would elevate Brazil's midfield creating space for Vinicius Junior to be at his best. In addition, Brazilian National team needs to learn to maintain their poise and composure while competing in international tournaments like the world cup. It can be argued that a lack of composure has hindered Brazil success in previous world cup tournaments. Brazil has as a tendency to fall apart when things are not going there way during the world cup e.g. 2022 against Croatia, and 2018 Belgium.
Lastly, Brazil will need to be very lucky. Spain, Argentina, and France are the favourites for the upcoming world cup. Whilst, England is a dark horse contender due to thomas tuchel taking over as their manager. Germany could have a potential renaissance after underwhelming in previous tournaments. Therefore, Brazil would need to be at their very best to win the world cup. In addition, Brazil should be less dependent on Neymar carrying them, and be a more collective team.
Neymar's story is pretty much the case of every player during that Messi-Ronaldo era, no matter how good you are, you generally get overlooked due to two of them being the best in business. Tons of players were incredible back in the day but those two were the centre of attention due to being opponents of two biggest rivals and their consistent performances year after year. I guess we can take 2018 as an exception when both gentlemen had incredible club level performance but their national teams had to face an early exit and a Croatian magician stole the show, who not only won CL that year with Madrid but shook the world with his performances for the national team in the World Cup.
Well put!
In an era where tactical systems began to take more rigid shapes, where statistics and money-ball grabbed headlines, I feel like those players who seem like bygones and byproducts of a cruel time must be celebrated like the Barclaysmen, who continued to put the enjoyment and liveliness into a game increasingly dominated by couch-analysts who refuse to watch a single game completely, open their mind and see how different these players were.
Neymar was one of them, one of the true sparks of Joga bonito that we've witnessed in the modern footballing era. He's pretty much the reason, why I and so many others began to celebrate like him, play like him, enjoy like him for that matter. But I regret what the Messi-Ronaldo era did to him, more specifically the media. He should be encouraged, not made a scapegoat for the Brazilian team. And his lifestyle right now is what the media transformed him into, not the skinny kid from Santos who could dance through defences while enjoying himself. I don't think its him that caused these mental and physical issues, but rather people saying he'll never be enough, or never was enough.
He needs neither yes-men nor scathing skeptics around him at this moment, he needs to just get his head back to the game and enjoy the game. He still has time, but he needs space to reinvent himself and rediscover himself.
I wish for him a way back to his best.
A fit, healthy Neymar is good for football. Hopefully he can make one last run at an international trophy
I don't think he can. I love Neymar, but i genuinely think modern football is over for him