The 2026 US-co-hosted FIFA World Cup will perhaps be the last time Neymar could help Brazil reclaim their title since 2002. However, since he is currently injured, Brazilian veterans argue their National Team must look beyond the icon in the next World Cup. Does Neymar’s teammates feel the same way? It seems not. Lucas Paqueta insists that the Al Hilal star should ‘undeniably’ be the Selecao’s centerpiece.

During a recent conversation on Desimpedidos, host, Fred Bruno told Lucas Paqueta that Argentina at the 2022 World Cup focused their game entirely on Lionel Messi. Being at Argentina’s helm, Messi notably emerged as the team’s top scorer in the tournament and also bagged the Player of the Tournament award. Upon hearing about Argentina’s strategy, Paqueta hinted the Brazil team also intends to play a similar game with Neymar as their focal point. “We will play with everyone, but you have to recognize the guy on your team. The guy on our team is Neymar, that’s undeniable. The guy is the best, you have to make him do his best,” (translated by DeepL) said Lucas Paqueta.

Going ahead, Paqueta dived deeper into his warm equation with Neymar. Firstly, the midfielder, like many of his compatriots, grew up idolizing him and his unique skill set. This affinity towards the Al Hilal star helped Paqueta instantly develop great chemistry after joining the Brazil NT. While the likes of Paqueta badly want Neymar to be the Canarinha’s MVP in the upcoming World Cup, their new coach Dorival Junior does not share the same enthusiasm. Rather, Junior gave a bittersweet take on Neymar’s importance in the next World Cup pursuit.

Brazil’s head coach has a mixed view on Neymar’s role in the next World Cup

Dorival Junior took over as Brazil’s Head Coach this January. Upon assuming the role, Junior quashed an age-old tension he had with the Al Hilal star, which dates back to the duo’s Santos days. Anyhow, thereafter, the coach asserted that the current Brazil team should learn to excel in Neymar’s absence. “Brazil has to learn to move forward without Neymar because he is injured,” the coach said. However, he added, “Neymar is a very important player, as long as he is recovered, fit, and fully focused”.

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The Brazilian is currently nursing an ACL tear he contracted during last year’s World Cup qualifiers and will miss the upcoming Copa America. Doctors are yet to confirm as to when he will return to action. In the meantime, Brazil could learn to cope without Neymar, as coach Junior wants. But since the coming World Cup will probably be Neymar’s last, it won’t be beyond the Brazil team to focus their game around him. Only time will tell if the Al Hilal star is fit enough to gain Brazil’s MVP status for the next World Championship.

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