Brasilia/Sao Paulo: Neymar’s exit from the World Cup due to a back injury left Brazilians shocked and angered on Friday, darkening the mood after the hosts’ 2-1 win over Colombia in the quarter-finals had sparked nationwide celebrations.
The loss of their star player has dented Brazil’s chances of winning a record-extending sixth World Cup, and first on home soil, and left Brazilians wondering who can replace him for Tuesday’s semi-final showdown with Germany.
“Neymar fractures vertebra and is out of the Cup,” the country’s three main newspapers headlined in their online editions, completely overshadowing accounts of the thrilling 2-1 victory over Colombia.
The papers published blow-by-blow diagrams of the play in which Neymar was kneed in the back by Colombian defender Juan Zuñiga, burying coverage of the stunning free kick by David Luiz that sealed Brazil’s victory.
“This is terrible news. The worst possible news. Neymar is so important to us,” said student Fabian Ruiz, 19, walking with friends down a street in Belo Horizonte, dressed in Brazil’s trademark canary yellow shirts and quaffing beer from cans.
“Without him, the other players will have to fight more. It is going to be so difficult against Germany now.”
A large crowd of fans wearing Brazil shirts gathered outside the hotel in Fortaleza where Neymar was taken after the match. As he was being taken in on a stretcher, they chanted: “Força Neymar,” or, “Be strong Neymar.”
Social media was flooded with messages about the incident, with many Brazilians calling on world football’s governing body Fifa to punish Zuñiga in the same way Uruguay striker Luis Suarez was penalised for biting an Italian player.
One columnist went so far as to describe the challenge as a “savage attack.” “Neymar out of the Cup because of cowardice and foul play by the Colombian player,” Fabricio Tavares, a Brazilian university professor, wrote on Facebook, echoing a common view heard on streets and in bars around Brazil.
‘Very sad’
Wishes for a speedy recovery poured in from all over, including Argentinian playmaker Lionel Messi, Neymar’s teammate at Barcelona.
Even Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff used her Twitter account to call on Brazilians to unite around Neymar and the national team.
Argentinian great Diego Maradona also lamented Neymar’s injury, telling Venezuela-based Telesur TV network: “It concerns not only the Brazilian people but all of us who love football. It was his World Cup, in his country. He had great hopes.” At a bar in Sao Paulo, couples were still dancing late on Friday night to celebrate the win over Colombia, but the news of Neymar’s injury dampened the mood.
“We were so happy but now it is sad. Very sad,” said Monica Ferreira, 27, who watched the game at the bar with friends. “He is our best player. We love him because he plays so hard when he puts on the Brazil shirt.” Some fans thought Brazil’s chances were over without Neymar.
“He is our best player. I don’t think we can win the Cup without him,” said a distraught-looking Eduardo Gomes, a 33-year-old fan, as he texted to find out more about Neymar’s injury, drinking beer with his girlfriend sitting on his knee.
Other fans, more optimistic about their country’s chances, said Brazil could pull it together and play even better without Neymar, suggesting the team had relied too heavily on him.
“At this point I don’t really feel that we need him so badly,” said Jair de Souza, a Sao Paulo doorman who heard the news on the radio. “It’s shocking but the guys have handled worse pressure.” Narcisio, a waiter at a sushi restaurant in Brasilia, said there were other good players waiting in the wings.
“Today Neymar did not play well and our team still performed well,” he said. “If we get past Germany, the Cup is ours.”
Neymar grew up playing in the streets and indoor futsal pitches, and was talent-spotted at an early age.
He joined Santos, Brazil’s most titled club, in 2003 and made his debut for them in 2009 having an instant impact as the country’s young player of the year.
Neymar finished the 2010 season with 42 goals in 60 games as Santos secured the Copa do Brasil and domestic Sao Paulo state championship.
In 2011, Neymar played the central role as Santos took the Copa Libertadores and the state championship again.
He won the Fifa Puskas goal of the year award for an astonishing solo effort for Santos which beat out Wayne Rooney’s famous overhead volley against Manchester City.
Barcelona beat Santos 4-0 in the Club World Cup final that year and it already seemed a formality that Neymar would head to Spain.
But it was not until 2013 that he followed so many of his Brazil teammates overseas — a delay that helped further endear him to Brazilian fans.
Neymar already has an impressive tally of 35 goals in 54 international games and shone as the Selecao prepared in perfect fashion by winning the Confederations Cup last June.
However, an unconvincing first season in Europe threw up questions about whether he is ready to lead Brazil to World Cup glory.
“This is Neymar’s first World Cup and nobody knows exactly what is going to happen. It is a big responsibility for him,” Pele said before the tournament.
Neymar attracted criticism for fathering a child out of wedlock in 2011, but his biggest controversy revolves around alleged tax evasion implicating ex-Barcelona president Sandro Rosell over his transfer to Spain.
Despite this, such is his popularity that his publicity machine is known as “Neymarketing”, his female fans are called “Neymarzetes” and many young men have had his image shaved into the back of their heads.
“First comes God, then family and then Neymar,” Rayellen Andrade, 17, said.
Neymar has 12.2 million Twitter followers. His latest tweet, sent before the 2-0 win against Colombia, is not without poignancy.
“May the Lord God bless us and protect us!! #insearchofadream,” he wrote.
