Brazil and their star player were in tears after losing on penalties to Croatia. After the game, Neymar Jr said he couldn’t promise he’d play for the Selecao again. After Brazil’s defeat to Croatia, Neymar and his teammates appeared distraught. The forward has been a divisive figure, but many regard him as the man who can return Brazil to World Cup glory. In a post-match interview, Neymar refused to say whether he would play for Brazil again.
Neymar’s Brazil journey ended in FIFA 2022
Few do, but one man who could do a good job of telling you is Neymar Jr. To some, he represents the dying rays of an exciting Brazilian team; to others, he represents a trophy-less team that failed to live up to expectations. In any case, he has carried a heavier burden than most. And, following Selecao’s penalty shootout loss to Croatia, Neymar Jr refused to confirm or deny that his time in Brazil had come to an end.
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It’s too early to speculate, on whether this will be his final game for Brazil. I make no guarantees, he admitted. I’ll sit down and think about it. I can’t promise I’ll return to the Seleço, but I also don’t close doors. I’ll spend time with my family, thinking about a lot of things. And the entire country wonders how their team only converted one of their 11 shots on target, and how their slim lead slipped away with only three minutes of extra time remaining.
Neymar was released – often by Richarlison – to run at the Croatian defense, only to be denied by a stifling backline or an inspired Dominik Livakovic in goal. Nonetheless, the gleaming forward was the only one to break through that red-and-white wall, rounding Livakovic and rifling the game’s first goal into the roof of the net. Brazil was eventually eliminated in a shootout in which Neymar Jr did not take a penalty. One can only guess how this outcome will be received in Brazil and how it will influence Neymar’s decision.
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