(Doha) Stretching towards its great dream of a sixth title, but still caught up in the reality of the field, Brazil fell in the quarter-finals of the World Cup-2022 against Croatia (1-1 ap, 4-2 ta b ), probably sounding the death knell for the Neymar generation, unable to match its illustrious predecessors.
Inaccessible sixth star… The Seleçao thought they had put all the chances on their side by arriving in Qatar, with a solid defense, a formidable attack orchestrated by “Ney”, and an experienced technician, winner of the Copa América 2019. His rather controlled start to the tournament had fueled all hopes, despite the injury of his playing master.
And then wreckage: it is not yet this year that Brazil will win its “hexacampeonato”, this sixth World Cup which has been denied to the Auriverde team since its last coronation in 2002. That is to say 24 years of scarcity at least, as the long crossing of the desert between the Brazil of Pelé, crowned for the third and last time in 1970, and that of Romario titled in 1994.
By falling before the semi-finals, Neymar’s team did no better than in 2006, 2010 and 2018. And their best run, since the 2002 title, the semi-final of the 2014 World Cup at home, remains marked by the humiliation suffered against Germany (7-1), future winner.
“We carry this weight”
This obviously raises the question of the immense expectations placed on the shoulders of the unfortunate Brazilian players every four years and summed up at the end of November by the words of the legend Pelé: “Bring this trophy home! “, had launched the former attacker.
“We carry this weight like all Brazilians,” admitted winger Raphinha before the tournament. “Since 2006, everyone wants Brazil to win the sixth star. »
But the years go by and Brazil now have an appointment in 2026, in a tournament organized in Canada, the United States and Mexico, to start their tireless quest again.
PHOTO HANNAH MCKAY, REUTERS
It will be, a priori, without Thiago Silva (38), without Dani Alves (39) and especially without Neymar: the Paris SG superstar had warned last year that the World Cup in Qatar would probably be his “last” .
“I don’t know if I will still have the condition, the mind, to support even more football,” said the striker on the platform of streaming DAZN.
“Ney” can still change his mind, especially since he is only 30 years old and has a long contract at PSG.
But Friday’s failure may be the impotence of the Neymar generation, humiliated in 2014, disappointing in 2018 and finally in 2022.
Taxed with arrogance before the tournament for having published a coat of arms of Brazil surmounted by a hypothetical sixth star, the former Santos player was once again caught up in the pressure. And those tears after Marquinhos failed on the decisive shot on goal showed the extent of the disaster.
The PSG star risks ending his career with only the defunct Confederations Cup (2013) and the Olympic gold medal (2016) on his international record, since he was injured in 2019 when Tite’s Brazil won the Copa America.
Taste of unfinished
Vertebra, foot, ankle… Neymar’s relationship (124 caps, 77 goals, with the Seleçao), will have been very upset by injuries and leaves a taste of unfinished business, even if the striker joined King Pelé as top scorer in the history of the selection, with its 77e goal, scored in extra time (115e +1).
The balance sheet also oscillates towards the negative for the coach Tite (61 years old), who had announced his departure before the tournament. “I know that football is made of cycles and I had a unique opportunity to find myself in this position”, summed up a few months ago.
Adenor Leonardo Bachi, nicknamed Tite, took the reins of the Seleçao in 2016, after the dismissal of Dunga.
He was able to straighten the Seleçao, which he qualified smoothly for two successive Worlds, and guided to the South American coronation in 2019.
But the technician is regularly criticized for his game sometimes considered too defensive, the selection having accustomed its “torcedores” (supporters) to play dazzling football with legends like Pelé, Ronaldo or Ronaldinho.
With its inexhaustible pool of talent, such as young Richarlison, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Antony or Gabriel Martinelli, the Seleçao will be able to reinvent itself, whatever its future coach. But the pressure to win again will still be there in 2026, even greater, even more suffocating.