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Already Among World’s Best, Neymar Has Nothing to Prove
Published: February 6, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, was Neymar’s 21st birthday. He celebrated by showing off his skills to the English press at the Brazil national team’s training base in Barnet, and a photo of him holding a birthday cake later surfaced in the Daily Mail. But that seems to be as lively as it got.
Neymar, at 21, is no longer interested in childish play; he has long since matured from the spoiled, immature teenager who once pouted until his manager was sacked to a stylish millionaire who earns twice as much money as Theo Walcott, shakes hands with presidents and is the face of one of international football’s most fashionable and successful sides.
On Wednesday he’ll earn his 28th cap for Brazil when the five-time World Cup winners face England at Wembley. His every move on the famous ground will be scrutinized; the post-match verdicts in the Thursday papers will try to attach some sort of value to him based almost solely on his showing over the 90 minutes.
This is the way it is for one of the sport’s premiere talents, and it’s a shame. Neymar could score a thousand goals a year for Santos, but the European pressmen, already befuddled at his lack of interest in moving across the Atlantic, would persist in using his international performances as their primary barometer in measuring his ability. As if he had to prove something to them.
He doesn’t.
Since bursting onto the scene with Paulista side Santos in 2009, Neymar has quickly progressed from a wonderkid trickster to far-and-away the best player in one of world football’s more competitive leagues. Twice he has eclipsed 40 goals in a season, and he has led his club to three Paulista titles, the Copa do Brasil and the Copa Libertadores.
If there remains something exotic about him, it’s that he continues to mystify Europe by staying in his home country. Not that it’s hard to see why....
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football
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