Confident Scolari and Neymar insist Brazil’s time has come
It was certainly difficult to detect any sense of pressure on either the manager or Neymar in their press conference ahead of the opening game against Croatia, as both made a series of jokes.
When he wasn’t laughing, the forward was particularly bullish about his team’s chances.
Although neither were asked about the ongoing protests surrounding the tournament — not least in Sao Paulo, where the opening game will be held — the implication was all too evident.
“For all Brazilians, I want to say our time has arrived,” Scolari proclaimed. “We want to go together. This is our World Cup. My team is ready.”
Neymar has become the symbol of Brazil’s hope, and the message here was that he is also the greatest symbol of the team’s unity.
Fully expected to carry the team’s attacking hopes and make the tournament his own the 22-year-old said it was not about that.
“I don’t want to be the best player in the World Cup, I don’t want to be the top scorer, I want to win the World Cup. Individually, what will happen will happen, but what I want is to win the World Cup.”
Scolari echoed his number-10.
“The star player will be the champion because if you’re the star player and don’t win the World Cup, it doesn’t make sense.”
Scolari praised his team’s hard work, and Neymar’s contribution to that.
“This 2014 squad is a squad that in specific situations some players do some things on the pitch that are different to what they do on the whole team. One of them is beside me. He doesn’t specialise in marking but sometimes he does try.”
In the single sombre moment of the press conference, Scolari also stated that the work of the squad has been helping him deal with the tragic death of his nephew in a car crash two days ago.
“Yes, we have gone through difficult times together and we know what this means but life goes on. We do what we have to do and we go on. Each one has a path to follow.
“I find my strength from working with the players. These players dedicate themselves every day. They work among themselves. Even when we are not amongst them. They are always trying to improve. All this makes us, even when we’re feeling sad, to forget the sadness and feel the beauty of what is happening around you. When we arrived at the airport, arriving at the Corinthians stadium, in fact it’s a beautiful stadium, we forget some sad aspects and we think of the positive side of 95% of our life and we go on.”
Neymar, however, insisted this World Cup will finish with a Brazil victory.
Group A: Brazil v Croatia, 9pm
Group A: Mexico v Cameroon, 5pm
Group B: Spain v Netherlands, 8pm; Chile v Australia, 11pm
Group C: Colombia v Greece, 5pm
Group D: Uruguay v Costa Rica, 8pm; England v Italy, 11pm
Group C: Ivory Coast v Japan, 2am
Group E: Switzerland v Ecuador, 5pm; France v Honduras, 8pm
Group F: Argentina v Bosnia Herzegovina , 11pm
Group F: Iran v Nigeria, 8pm
Group G: Germany v Portugal, 5pm; Ghana v USA, 11pm
Group A: Brazil v Mexico, 8pm
Group H: Belgium v Algeria, 5pm; Russia v South Korea, 11pm
Group A: Cameroon v Croatia, 11pm
Group B: Australia v Netherlands, 5pm; Spain v Chile, 8pm
Group C: Colombia v Ivory Coast, 5pm; Japan v Greece, 11pm
Group D: Uruguay v England, 8pm
Group D: Italy v Costa Rica, 5pm
Group E: Switzerland v France, 8pm; Honduras v Ecuador, 11pm
Group F: Argentina v Iran, 5pm; Nigeria v Bosnia Herzegovina , 11pm
Group G: Germany v Ghana, 8pm
Group G: USA v Portugal, 11pm
Group H: Belgium v Russia, 5pm; South Korea v Algeria, 8pm
Group A: Cameroon v Brazil, 9pm; Croatia v Mexico, 9pm
Group B: Australia v Spain, 5pm; Netherlands v Chile, 5pm
Group C: Greece v Ivory Coast, 9pm; Japan v Colombia, 9pm
Group D: Costa Rica v England, 5pm; Italy v Uruguay, 5pm
Group E: Ecuador v France, 9pm; Honduras v Switzerland, 9pm
Group F: Bosnia Herzegovina v Iran, 5pm; Nigeria v Argentina, 5pm
Group G: Portugal v Ghana, 5pm; USA v Germany, 5pm
Group H: Algeria v Russia, 9pm; South Korea v Belgium, 9pm
Round of 16: Group A winner v Group B second place, 5pm; Group C winner v Group D second place, 9pm
Round of 16: Group B winner v Group A second place, 5pm; Group D winner v Group C second place, 9pm
Round of 16: Group E winner v Group F second place, 5pm; Group G winner v Group H second place, 9pm
Round of 16: Group F winner v Group E second place, 5pm; Group H winner v Group G second place, 9pm
Quarter-final: Quarter-finalist 5 v Quarter-finalist 6, 5pm; Quarter-finalist 1 v Quarter-finalist 2, 9pm
Quarter-final: Quarter-finalist 7 v Quarter-finalist 8, 5pm; Quarter-finalist 3 v Quarter-finalist 4, 9pm
Semi-final: Semi-finalist 1 v Semi-finalist 2, 9pm
Semi-final: Semi-finalist 3 v Semi-finalist 4, 9pm
Third/fourth place play-offs, 9pm
Final, 8pm
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
