Neymar: We are ‘dreaming’ of a sixth title

HEN Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar retired, amid all the interviews, he was wise enough to preview the headlines which one day will announce his death... “Keeper from the 7-1 defeat passes away”.

There is no escaping it, no getting around it. It was not a bad dream.

Brazil r eall y did get thrashed on home ground in front of a global audience in a World Cup semifinal and the stain on the carpet is not going to wash out any time soon.

But in comparison with 1950 – the previous time Brazil staged a World Cup, when they lost 2-1 to Uruguay in the final – the 2014 experience was probably less painful.

Back in 1950, it was taken as a defeat for Brazilian society.

In 2014 that debate was taking place elsewhere – in the row over the amount of money being spent on stadiums, for example.

What happened on the field against Germany was nothing more than a crushing defeat for Brazilian football.

It is something that can be redeemed on the field by Brazilian football and there are high hopes that coach Tite and his men can do just that in Russia over the next few weeks.

The Brazilian national team have their swagger back. But it took a couple of years to shake off the denial.

The outstanding Brazilian coach, Tite, was the popular choice to take over after the 2014 World Cup and so the decision to reappoint Dunga was especially bizarre.

The World Cup winning captain in 1994, Dunga had taken charge of the national team between 2006-10.

Other than that, his coaching career was limited to an unsuccessful few months in charge qualification campaign.

Can they now do it in Russia? Can they keep t heir heads under the pressure of the tournament?

Tite’s Brazil may not have the right answers to all these questions, but it should be f un f i nding out. – Express Newspapers NEYMAR