Brazil is seeking redemption in the form of an Olympic football gold to wash away the sins of repeated failures that reached a nadir with the 7-1 loss to Germany at the FIFA World Cup two years ago. And Neymar is being looked upon as the knight in shining armour to fulfil those aspirations.
Brazil, the most successful World Cup team with five triumphs, has never won an Olympic gold. It reached the final in 2012 after winning five consecutive matches, but lost 2-1 to Mexico. This is its second big opportunity and Neymar will be looking to exploit it.
While he may not have been at his best in the London final and suffered the agony of watching the German thrashing from the dugout with a fractured vertebra, he is in good shape now.
Our time is yet to come
The 24-year-old has the faith of his countrymen and Selecao teammates. “I think we can learn from everything and if Brazil has still not won this football gold medal that we’re all dreaming of, it’s because our time is yet to come. Winning at the Maracana would be incredible, unforgettable, and you can be sure we’ll give our best on the pitch to make this happen,” the Barcelona star has been quoted as saying.
The captain of the Selecao, Neymar has the full attention of coach Rogerio Micale, who has had a long career dedicated to the development of young players.
After a good season with Barcelona, Neymar will have to showcase his sublime skills and creativity during the big quest.
His combination with Gabriel Jesus, the Palmeiras striker who is the highest scorer in the Brazilian league, assumes importance in the absence of Douglas Costa and Fred. Costa, the Bayern Munich winger, is injured, while attacking midfielder Fred has not been released by Shakhtar Donetsk.
World Cup legend Ronaldo sees a “great possibility” in Neymar leading Brazil to the gold.
Neymar remains the driving force that could help Brazil erase the disappointments of the 2014 World Cup and the recent Copa America Centenario.
