He\’s 22 and rich and enjoying himself.
He knows how lucky he is and he never forgets that. When he\’s not training, he hangs out with his girlfriend and his parents.
He\’s got Chile coming up at 5pm today but says he\’s baffled by talk of pressure.
He wanted to be a footballer and now he\’s Brazil\’s main man and the World Cup has come to Brazil and millions of fans are wearing shirts with his name on the back.
Neymar Jr says, “There is no pressure when you are living your dream. I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do since I was a little kid. Today my dream is coming true, I’m playing the matches that I’ve always wanted to be playing.”
Starting this tournament, I said: Neymar Jr is faster than you think.
He is a reflex player, a sprinter, a jumper, a skinny juggler who is stronger than he looks. Because he\’s so sharp and agile, Neymar likes a fast game and trust his talents in a fast game. He\’s very hard to beat to a 50-50 ball. Even if you move first, he\’ll be past you in a heartbeat.
Everyone has noticed that the South American players all look at home in Brazil, all look pretty comfortable.
When I look at Neymar now, I see a guy who is accustomed to the ambience, someone who is able to feel the waves of noise and emotion and surf along on them, balanced all the while, a young man ready to ride the wave all the way to victory and immortality.
Compared to the spiky, sparky Neymar, Lionel Messi is rather calm and cerebral, a footballer who makes time stand still while he decides the next play, the next pass, the next little slalom.
With Neymar, I can\’t see the wave, can\’t hear the multi-coloured components of the crowd noise, can\’t see his surfboard, don\’t know if the lad has ever balanced himself inside a big wet wave like this