Let’s face it – Africa loves football. It’s by far and away the most played sport anywhere across the continent. Sure, while many sports fans will have been watching as South Africa reaches for gold in the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the forthcoming World Cup is where the big action is. The World Cup is what distinguishes a great player before becoming an icon.
Many have already done so. Moore, Beckenbauer, Pele, Maradona, Messi, and Ronaldo. All are greats of their kind. But don’t forget the many thousands of other players who have competed in the greatest tournament of them all. Without them, the stars would never have the chance to shine.
Which brings us around to Neymar. Nobody is ever going to deny the 26-year old’s pedigree. Looking at statistics alone, he’s a proven 1-in-2 man – the pinnacle of what a striker ought to be. Throw in the often forgotten fact that he’d an old-fashioned inside left forward – by no means a ‘poacher’ and it becomes even more impressive.
Since joining PSG he’s scored just shy of a goal a game in an injury-hit season. After all, what do you expect from a player whose transfer value – including wages and fees – is estimated to be about half a billion USD? It is a phenomenal return. The problem is that he plays in France.
Before anyone gets upset and starts pointing at his record with Barcelona, accept that the following. He was playing for a team that not only was overwhelmed with world class footballers but also has a pedigree of developing raw Brazillian players. Alongside Messi and Suarez, Neymar encapsulated the best forward line in living memory. All South American lads done well.
Yet there was always a slight issue with Neymar at Barca. Messi was and forever will be regarded as the king of the Camp Nou. No other player could realistically attempt to overtake that legacy, even though the placid and reserved Argentinian likely would not be worried if they had tried. For Neymar, it was and still is a case of becoming the biggest fish in the pond.
The question was how to prove it. A €222m transfer to PSG was a groundbreaking move, with the player estimated to earn close to €1/week in wages before tax. Sure, that’s one way to do it – but it may possibly be a rather short-sighted way of developing a career. After all, does anyone in Rio care about the second rate French league besides casual highlight shows at best? No they do not.
Neymar does have one key perk though. He’s currently high value for merchandise and association. The figures are kept close to chests, but it’s reasonable to assume that the stylish striker approaching his prime years makes way more than double his standard salary on sponsorship. In fairness, he’s done his part when certified fit to play, but there’s always going to be the fact that he’s playing outside of the elite leagues. Until he or others spearhead PSG to a European Cup that is always going to be hanging over him.
So, looking forward to Neymar’s role in Russia 2018. The good news for the fans is that he’s likely to be fit enough to play a significant role in what looks like a relatively easy group. Providing he’s fit enough to run and dribble with the ball from the wing, he’s what could unlock tricky sides in what is expected to be a very defensive tournament. Sure there’ll be wildcards, but Neymar ought to expect already hard tackles, double marking, all while carrying the hopes of his country on his shoulders.
Tough life isn’t it!
