Brazil will underestimate buoyant Mexico at own peril

Jack Tarrant

Not many teams in world football boast an even moderately successful record against five-time World Cup winners, Brazil, but, in recent years, Mexico have proved that they have what it takes.

Whereas seven of the teams in the knockout stages of the tournament have failed to record a single victory over Brazil since 2000 — admittedly Spain, Denmark, and Belgium have only played the South American giants once each — Mexico won six of their 14 match-ups with Brazil in the same period.

Only France, who have beaten Brazil three times in six meetings, have a better record of the teams in the last 16.

Mexico have won six of their last nine competitive fixtures against Brazil, losing just twice, and will go confidently into their last-16 clash in Samara today.

Mexico beat Brazil to win the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London, and Mexico held the hosts to a goalless draw in the World Cup group stages four years ago.

The message from the Brazil camp is that this is business as usual. Defender Thiago Silva said the team has effectively been playing knockout football since their second match at the World Cup, after a draw in the opener, against Switzerland.

Silva expects his teammates to take the true knockout stage in their stride. Brazil hit form in their final group game, creating a barrel-load of chances against Serbia, in another 2-0 win. The performance perhaps justified Brazil’s status as one of the tournament favourites, although the form of Neymar, the team’s focal point and talisman, is still provoking debate.

His form in front of goal is patchy. The forward scored once and missed a number of chances in the first three games. His persistent failure to dribble past opponents and his frequent falls to the turf have won him few admirers.

Brazil coach, Tite, however, appears unconcerned and praised Neymar’s performance against Serbia as “fantastic, technically and tactically”.

Neymar’s emotional state has also come under scrutiny, after he broke down in tears on the pitch after the win over Costa Rica. “A coach praises publicly and will not say what happens in the dressing room,” Tite told reporters, when asked if he had spoken to Neymar about his state of mind.

He did say that defender, Marcelo, would not start the match in Samara, having not recovered fully from the back spasm he suffered in their final group game. The Real Madrid left-back lasted only 10 minutes of their 2-0 win over Serbia, before being replaced by Atletico Madrid’s Filipe Luis.

“Yes we have confirmed the team, the team that finished the match with Filipe Luis”.

Suspended: Hector Moreno (Mexico).

Past World Cup finals meetings: Brazil W3 (1950, 1954, 1962), Mexico W0, D1 (2014).

All matches: Brazil W23, Mexico W10, D7.

Last meeting: Brazil 2 Mexico 0 (friendly, 2015), when Phillipe Coutinho scored once.