World Cup is bigger for Neymar than anyone. What happens will ring in eternity

The stage is set for Neymar – will he finally take his place among the greats?

Brazil's forward Neymar greets children during a training session at the Al Arabi SC Stadium in Doha on November 20, 2022, just moments before the kick-off of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. (Photo by NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP)  

In a room somewhere in Santos’ Vila Belmiro stadium, a chair stands empty. It isn’t a particularly special chair. Sergio Rodrigues, the great Brazilian furniture designer, didn’t craft it out of jacaranda or anything like that. But all the same, it still left a distinct impression on a teenage boy. Neymar Junior remembers seeing it upon being summoned to the office of Luis Alvaro, Santos’ most successful president since Pele’s heyday.

Alvaro had received an offer from Chelsea and wanted to discuss it with Neymar and his father. Santos were not prepared to accept Roman Abramovich’s money and wished for Neymar to stay. Alvaro needed to use his powers of persuasion. He turned the lights down low and pointed to the empty chair. “This is the chair of the great national sports hero,” he told Neymar. “Since Ayrton Senna’s death, this chair is vacant. If Neymar stays at Santos and refuses Chelsea’s offer, he will give his first step to sit in this chair.”