FIFA World Cup: In Neymar's absence, no one takes up the mantle for Brazil

Doha: Calm and confident, Tite walked onto the stage for his news conference at Stadium 974. Here was a man who radiated authority and charisma, who seemed at ease with himself, the world and his destiny. Yet, Adenor Bacchi could not have been the paragon of peace that he projected to the press corps and the outside world. His Seleçao, vaunted pre-tournament favourites, had laboured to victory against the Swiss. FIFA World Cup: Fixtures | Results | Points Table | Squads | Records Yet, Tite seemed satisfied. True, Brazil had navigated key matches against Serbia and Switzerland with success, but in explaining the difficult, often truncated, meandering and tense 90 minutes the Brazil coach, whose speeches sometimes resemble a sermon, reverted to his meritocratic type: “Today the process won,” said Tite. “It took four years to use athletes so that they can develop, be natural, young, taking advantage of their clubs and having opportunities.” Must Read | Brazil break dogged Serbian defence as Tite is vindicated in win The Brazil coach has long advocated a simple principle - process trumps the results. Perhaps in a sport that is ultimately a zero-sum game, that may be a strange mantra, but it speaks volumes of how Tite sees football. It is not simply about winning, it is about prevailing on merit, and in a matrix of uncontrollables, Tite seeks to achieve his goals by striking a balance. This is a roundabout way to point at the obvious: there has been a disturbance in the force - No, Darth Vader didn’t choke anyone, but in the universe of the Seleçao and the multiverse of the Neymarzinhos and Neymarzinhas, the lodestar has been ripped from his anchor - Neymar had to watch the Brazil game from the touchline following an ankle injury.

🇧🇷 Viva Brazil!

⚽ Despite Neymar being on the bench and a disallowed goal, Brazil came out on top against Switzerland.

🎬 Watch as fans celebrate fanatically as Brazil secure their qualification, with a dramatically late goal! pic.twitter.com/KtFGLuL34p

— Doha News (@dohanews) November 28, 2022

And so what happens when the force is disturbed? Yoda offers wise counsel. In this case, Tite dispensed his wisdom. “There are three variables that we use,” explained Tite. “First game without Neymar, you chose Casemiro as a star, the team is the star. Of course, Neymar has different characteristics: in a magical moment, he dribbles and shimmies. He has that ability, other players are going through this process. So, yes, you miss Neymar. The team has creative power, but there are also players who can provide.” But that sense of expression and creativity was nigh invisible and not tangible at Stadium 974, a bizarre venue built with containers on the outskirts of Qatar’s capital.

Vinicius, Rodrygo and Casemiro all linking up 🥹❤️
Real madrid heritage . pic.twitter.com/Z6zvXGoQOM

— Sara (@sarasevv) November 28, 2022

Brazil were lethargic for much of the 90 minutes. They played with their cast of fabulous youngsters, on the wing and up top, but the yellow shirts were immobile as if held back by an invisible hand - they were without their playmaker and lodestar, who dictates, finds the pockets of space and progresses the play - Instead, the ghost of Neymar was wandering around all those colourful containers. And the Brazilians did not have a clue about how to exercise this particular demon. In 2014, Neymar was the absolute centre of gravity, but, after his bone-breaking injury in the last-eight, the Seleçao as well as the nation collapsed. It was a defeat, that in scale, almost matched the trauma of 1950. Ademir and Zizinho were among the major stars back then and they formed a wonderful collective that ultimately succumbed to the pressure. Twice, the problem was perhaps physiological - after 1950, Brazil suffered from an inferiority complex, and in 2014 the semi-final XI simply seemed haunted.

The journey continues for Casemiro and Brazil 🇧🇷

The @Budweiser Player of the Match on today’s match against Switzerland. #YoursToTake #Budweiser #POTM @budfootball pic.twitter.com/DyHVRifzM5

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 28, 2022

And it’s this scenario that Tite will want to avoid. Is Neymar essential but not irreplaceable or is Neymar irreplaceable but not essential? This team must not become a repeat of Brazil’s home World Cup, a sort of 2.014, a team that is neither here nor there, that will go on, but in the end, disgrace itself. This Seleçao is brimming with life. In the second half, all of Raphinha, Rodrygo, Richarlison, Vinicius Jr. and Bruno Guimaraes were on the pitch - the Brazil coach wisely substituted Fred - and later Anthony as well as Gabriel Jesus. It was a brilliant proposition, but in the end, little happened, except for Casemiro’s wonder strike. A veteran came to the rescue, and that was perhaps the big problem - no one claimed the role that Brazil needs most filled - that one of the lodestar, the centre of gravity. Brazil did not relinquish their lead and role of favourites, but the bottom line is that they are still as dependent as Argentina is on Messi. And that will not serve them well. Read all the Latest News, Trending News,  Cricket News, Bollywood News,  India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.