Neymar acting spoils Brazilian victory
There is nothing Brazil teams enjoy more than winning in the heat. Well, that and, at least as far as Neymar is concerned, rolling around in apparent agony after the lightest of touches from an opponent.
Football is not a popularity contest. Winners have no need to curry favour beyond their fanbase. This Brazilian side have the steely look of champions, the way they played against Mexico suggests they might be a side without flaw. Except this one: if they are to win the World Cup, their success will be tarnished by the pitiful interjections of their superb forward.
In truth Neymar’s play-acting at this World Cup has been little short of scandalous. He was by turns brilliant and ridiculous, by turns wonderful athlete and childish ego. And, after he tried a bold bid for a Golden Globe rather than the Golden Boot by rolling around as if under sniper fire following the lightest of pecks on his shin from the Mexico substitute Miguel Layun, if the Mexican coach Juan Carlos Osorio is right, it might be a while before he is welcome to holiday in Cancun.
‘‘Unfortunately, and I think it’s a shame for football, we wasted a lot of time because of the behaviour of one single player,’’ complained Osorio. ‘‘It is a man’s sport, there shouldn’t be so much acting.’’
The oddity about Neymar’s undignified thespian spoiling is that it seems so unnecessary. Because he is part of a very smart Brazil team.
There was a lot of shadowboxing, a lot of range-finding, a lot of preparing the ground before, early in the second half, Willian suddenly applied the afterburners and skidded round the Mexican defence before sliding in a perfect cross. It missed Gabriel Jesus but Neymar came piling in to scoop the ball home.
It was a lovely finish, a telling reminder of his growing return to form after prolonged injury.
After his dramatic playacting, Neymar decided to do things properly. And – surprise, surprise – when he went legit he was magnificent, setting up Roberto Firmino for Brazil’s second goal.