The question is whether Neymar will find his feet

● Five-time winners Brazil will be hoping star forward Neymar can stay on his feet long enough to help them beat Mexico in Samara tomorrow.

The world’s most expensive player has been on the ground so much in Russia that one pub in Rio gave out free shots each time Neymar was on the floor against Serbia last week. Neymar did score in his country’s second group game against Costa Rica, but was denied a penalty and booked for dissent in the same match.

“It was front page on one of the papers that Neymar has been going to ground once every nine minutes at this World Cup,” said South American football expert Tim Vickery. “There is so much that is good, but there are things that are deplorable about him.”

Brazil may be hot favourites to beat Mexico and advance to the quarterfinals, but midfielder Casemiro pointed to the already departed Germans as proof that, in football, favouritism counts for nothing.

Favouritism

The Real Madrid midfielder said the fivetime champions are taking nothing for granted, especially after seeing Germany, holders and joint favourites before the tournament began, finish bottom of their group.

“This favouritism comes from you,” he told reporters at Brazil’s training centre. “The shirt doesn’t win you the game. Look at Germany. With all the players they have, all that favouritism, they were still knocked out in the first round.

“We are relaxed about it. All our players are top class, their clubs are always favourites. So we are already accustomed to the pressure, this favouritism you all talk about. We always have respect, tranquility and humility. We have to play football to beat Mexico.”

Mexico has a poor record against South American teams in the World Cup finals. In 15 different tournaments before Russia, Mexico only once beat a South American side, overcoming Ecuador 2-1 in 2002.

The Mexicans provided one of the early shocks of the tournament when they beat Germany 1-0. They followed that with a 2-1 win over South Korea but then were mystifyingly poor against Sweden, who hammered them 3-0.

Top defensive midfielder

Whichever Mexico turns up, they will have to get past a man who is now rated one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.

After making five substitute appearances for Brazil in 2011 and 2012, Casemiro was dropped for a while but he has since become an integral part of Tite’s side.

The 26-year-old has missed out on any kind of summer rest, having played until the last game of the league season with his club.

That game, of course, was the Champions League final, when he picked up another winner’s medal. — Reuters