Neymar has undoubtedly been the main name in Brazilian football for 14 years. At 31, the player is injured and will no longer wear the national team jersey any time soon. Now, in technical command of the national team, the star will have an old acquaintance, Dorival JĂşnior, with whom he has had problems in the past and who has spoken about what he thinks of the player currently.
In September 2010, coach Dorival Junior was fired from Santos after a controversy with Neymar, then 18 years old, over a penalty during the match against Atlético-GO. They parted ways and, although he follows the player from afar, the São Paulo coach admitted to Estadão, in November 2023, that his expectations were a little higher in relation to the striker. Without of course congratulating him for everything he has done in football.
“He (Neymar) could perhaps have done even more. He is a player who, if he had had a little calmer and a little different development throughout his career, he could perhaps have achieved even better results,” said Dorival, who reserved. “I don’t know everything that happened in your career. I stayed far away from anything he did throughout this process, but he never lost his cool. He is a player of the highest level, differentiated, a player like few others in the world.
Dorival even gave the example of Messi. “Neymar has an ability that few athletes have, he is exceptional. Then we’ll say, “Oh, but he’s never won a major world competition.” » He has already accomplished a lot. Would Messi no longer have the value he has of not having a world champion? Does Zico no longer have the courage he once had? Never,” he said.
The last call
But is there still time for Neymar to win a World Cup? Although the timing is not positive, since the Al-Hilal striker underwent surgery on his left knee to correct a ligament injury and is only expected to return to the field in the middle of the year , Dorival trusts the 31-year-old. . years. recovery to defend Brazil at the 2026 World Cup. “It’s never too late, Messi is there, as an excellent example. Neymar has this ability to make things happen. “It’s just up to him.”
