VINICIUS CAN HELP LIMIT RELIANCE ON NEYMAR

Neymar (right), but the emergence of attacking players such as Vinicius Junior, Raphinha and Antony will help share the burden of expectation and help to ease what is known in Brazil as ‘Neymar dependence’. ‘Of course, yes, you always have to depend on great athletes,’ said Tite, on the subject. ‘How can a great team do without Neymar? Or Coutinho. The great team and the great squad depends on its great athletes. ‘Just as it will depend on Vini Jnr’s growth and on Raphinha’s affirmation and on Thiago Silva’s consolidation. The dependence is not only on him but on this entire structure.’ It appears that Tite is almost settled on the players that will go to the World Cup. There are now 29 Brazilians in the Premier League and, despite

not calling up the Gabriel trio from Arsenal for these friendlies, Jesus probably has a guaranteed spot in the World Cup squad, with Magalhaes in with a chance and Martinelli likely to be a near miss. Most of the players Tite trusts are in England, especially the two goalkeepers Alisson and Ederson, and midfielders Casemiro, Fred, Bruno Guimaraes, Philippe Coutinho, Fabinho and Lucas Paqueta. In attack, Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino is still fighting for a spot and will need to show something as Brazil take on

Ghana in Le Havre on Friday and Tunisia at the Parc de Princes in Paris on Tuesday. Antony, Richarlison and Jesus, if fit, will be in Qatar. Thiago Silva provides the defensive security alongside PSG’s Marquinhos. Tite, however, always keeps in his mind the possibility that a player in good form can also be called into the squad. ‘I cannot close the possibility of a great athlete emerging,’ says the Brazil boss. ‘The bar is getting higher and higher. Soon a player may appear playing very well.’ The only certainty, however, is that Tite will not continue as the manager after the World Cup, no matter the result, as disclosed in an interview in February and he has not changed his mind. ‘There is no chance of continuing,’ he said. ‘Absolutely not. With body and soul I want to do the best possible job for the national squad (at the World Cup). Then I want to be at peace. I want to sleep in peace.’