While the excitement of the semis is going full gear around the world, one trillion dollar apprehension is haunting the minds of the Brazil fans, that is, with the departure of the prodigal son of Brazilian soccer from the current contest, is it really all over for Brazil?
Many believe that the hope is dashed for good, there will have to be a miracle to lift the trophy home, sans Neymar.
There are theories, formulas and out of the world calculation being worked at by the team managements and millions of football lovers.
It is simple, if Neymar is out of the team, it will make a clear difference between the two sides. Brazil will not only be a weaker side, it will be a broken side, while the main beneficiary would be the Germans, they will emerge stronger, just because their nemesis will be absent from the opposition line up.
That should matter. That should keep them going! For them the constant tormentor won’t be there!
It’s like a dream come true for any team that takes on Brazil now.
It was indeed great to watch Brazil sail into the semis of the World cup. It was a treat to watch the superb goal scored by David Luiz. It was also smoothening to see the yellow shirts tormenting the Columbians.
And finally it had been a sigh of relief when the final whistle announced the end of the game with Brazil coming out victorious.
The tragedy was actually overlooked by many in sheer ecstasy of a win.
While the Brazilian fans around the world were cheering and partying on their team’s victory, Neymar, their best footballer, was suffering from excruciating pain on the stretcher inside the dressing room.
It was again a disquieting scene to spot the ambulance carrying the player to a hospital, and the fans waiting outside in tears! See how they felt for the ‘inspiration and strength’ of Brazil.
We saw with awe the gruesome charge coming from behind by a Columbian kick-boxer player (Jersey no.18) on Neymar. The petite boy went down with agonising pain on his cracked back.
And it is an expected norm that the best players of a team are always the targets of the opposition team
Many would observe that it was only a gallery show, like most of them do to win a foul for his team.
Recall how Robben, the Ducth forward, went down to get penalty for his team against the Mexicans, and surprisingly he won. It was appalling to watch the referee award penalty to the Dutch squad from that angle.
Mexico had to bow out of the game due to this faulty decision by the referee.
Talking about Neymar, it was a depressing sight witnessed by all of the world who were watching the quarters contest between two teams from America.
Well even if you take it sportingly the dodges, charges, fouls and challenges by the players of the team, you cannot possibly approve of the kind of cruelty meted out to the most prized player of Brazil.
Remember Neymar was nursing himself even before this game. He was severely injured in the match against Chile. He had a tough time in recuperating.
And it is an expected norm that the best players of a team are always the targets of the opposition team, and they are constantly in line of fire.
It needed team management and specially the coach to look into the matter with utmost seriousness and professionalism. Scolari, the respected coach of the side, ought to have kept his eye on Neymar’s safety than anything else.
When Brazil was already placed comfortably and were on their way to winning the battle, Neymar should have been called off to be replaced by any other.
All of the Brazilians are first-rate players and all of them deservedly got their names in the playing squad.
Had Neymar been taken off, he could have saved himself from this assault and the greatest beneficiary would have been the team. Imagine the game against the Germans! Can we envisage Brazil playing without Neymar!
God help the team and football. I already mentioned in my previous pieces, football without Brazil would be blind! World Cup is already half blind without Neymar!
