Brazil’s new generation w ill ease pressure on Neymar: Tite
rio DE Janeiro: Brazil manager Tite is excited by the rise of the young players who surged to stardom in European soccer last season and will be available for the national team in November when his side bid to win a record-extending sixth World Cup at the finals in Qatar.
The new generation of talent includes Real Madrid Champions League standouts Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo, Barcelona marquee signing Raphinha, Totenham Hotspur’s new striker Richarlison, Newcastle United’s all-purpose midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, Ajax Amsterdam’s electrifying winger Antony and Atletico Madrid’s relentless forward Matheus Cunha among others.
All these players are 25 or under and already part of the world’s elite, which Tite believes will ease the pressure on Paris St-germain forward Neymar, 30, who has carried the load as the Brazilian superstar of his generation for his entire career.
“I do have this feeling that the arrival of these young players is going to be good for Neymar on and off the pitch,” Tite told Reuters in an interview, revealing that his key player was excited about his new team mates.
“The other day Neymar looked at me and said: ‘Coach, these kids that are coming, it’s just nuts ... what a good headache to have trying to put them all on the field.’ He laughed.”
“When you have other players with great technical potential you share the load and the atention of our rivals that now will have to chose where they focus their defensive assignments.”
Tite said he expected to use Neymar in a more central role that will allow him to unleash Brazil’s young players up front and adopt a “hybrid system”.
With squads up to 26 players and five substitutes allowed at the World Cup in Qatar working in his favour, Tite wants to make sure his team have fresh legs and are more unpredictable.
“Neymar has developed into a more creative role, a point guard, a builder and a finisher, but a liter further back. Bow and arrow, creator and finisher,” Tite explained.
“Soccer is fast and relentless nowadays and we’ll face many rivals that will close deep with a five-man defensive front.”