Emotion could be Brazil’s downfall

– Brazil’s inability to keep their emotions in check contributed to their spectacular implosion at the 2014 World Cup, so the worry is that once again the pressure might prove too much for the Selecao in Russia.

The enduring image of the 2-0 win over Costa Rica that kickstarted their campaign last Friday was Neymar’s tears at fulltime after he scored the goal that clinched the victory.

Seeing Neymar (left) cry brought back memories of Brazil unravelling as hosts four years ago. Then, Thiago Silva and Neymar were among the players who broke down at the end of their penalty shootout win over Chile.

At the time, some sections of the media labelled the team crybabies and coach Luiz Felipe

Sochi

Scolari brought in a sports psychologist to help the squad deal with the pressure. That campaign ended with their 7-1 capitulation to Germany in the semifinals, and in Russia it is vital current coach Tite keeps a lid on emotions.

Their performance in qualifying ensured they came to Russia among the favourites, but they are still not certain of reaching the knockout phase going into today’s game against Serbia.

“Everything we did in qualifying created a lot of expectation,” admitted fullback Fagner.

In any case, there is nothing unusual in seeing a Brazilian weep.

One thing that is clear, though, is that finding a way of taking some of the pressure off Neymar can only be beneficial to Brazil’s prospects. –