It is amazing the impact removing one single name from a team’s lineup can have.
In the case of Brazil, of course, we mean that literally.
We do not know how much more of the 2022 FIFA World Cup the great Neymar will play after the ankle injury he picked up in the opener, but we do know Brazil will be involved in at least two more games given their 1-0 victory Monday over Switzerland.
For the 14th consecutive time, Brazil advanced to the knockout rounds of the men's World Cup. They still have some work to do Friday against Cameroon to finish top of Group G, and it is assured they will not have their star midfielder available for that.
It is unclear when Neymar will play again, and how effective he might be if he does. There were moments in Monday’s game when it appeared his absence would finish the Brazilians as contenders to win their first World Cup title in 20 years. By the end of 90-plus minutes, though, it was apparent they can do this without him.
MORE: Neymar calls Brazil hero Casemiro the best midfielder in the world
Their performance against Switzerland was not scintillating, and their victory was not, as the score indicates, comprehensive. There were obvious signs of regression that could be traced to his absence.
There also was a collective resolve to fill that void that elevated the play of multiple Brazil regulars, that stretched them beyond typical areas of comfort and produced unexpected contributions. And that is the sort of thing that often wins major competitions such as this — for instance, Mario Gotze scoring the winning goal for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final after entering as a sub, or the sublime Andres Iniesta producing the extra-time winner for Spain in 2010 after scoring just twice in his previous 18 competitive international matches.
If Casemiro can reinvent himself as an attacking force, why should we not believe in Brazil?
“I think now what we can see from them is they have a very strong group,” former Brazilian star Kaka said, according to an article on FotMob.com. “Of course Neymar is the cherry on the cake, but they still have a very strong group.
“In the World Cup, you need a strong group. You don’t need some players, you need a very strong group. And in my opinion, this is why Brazil can still perform very well.”
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Long considered one of the world’s great defensive midfielders, Casemiro has scored just seven goals for Brazil in 68 appearances. His club career has been much the same, with 24 goals in nine seasons at Real Madrid and one in his first year with Manchester United.
He was phenomenal against Switzerland’s determined defense, at first generating what could have been a goal in the 64th minute with a beautiful pass struck with his left foot to Vinicius Jr., and then, in the 83rd minute, powering the ball inside the far post with a right-footed shot for the game-winner.
That goal was the result of a sinister flick from forward Rodrygo that dropped directly over the defense to Casemiro.
Both plays, one that counted and one that did not, demonstrated the diversity of possibility available to Brazil in the absence of their most creative force.
For all his wondrous skill, Neymar can be a problematic player. That has been especially true when he competes with his club. There have been reports in the past of division between him and forward Kylian Mbappe, and his time at Paris Saint-Germain has produced some Ligue 1 titles and little else. PSG did reach the 2000 UEFA Champions League final, but the collective firepower of Neymar, Mbappe and Angel Di Maria was vanquished in a 1-0 defeat. More often – four times in six years — PSG has been eliminated in the Round of 16.
His devotion to Brazil is impossible to question, but the results have not been exceptional. His only major trophy, if we want to call it that, was a Confederations Cup earned in 2013, when he was 21 and named best player of the tournament. There also was the Olympics in 2016, but that’s primarily an age group championship (Under-23).
MORE: Latest on Neymar's injury status
It is true his departure from the World Cup in 2014 with a back injury was followed by the notorious 7-1 collapse in the semifinals against Germany. On the other hand, Brazil won the 2019 Copa America when Neymar missed the entire tournament with an ankle injury. So this can be read many ways. But there’s zero doubt head coach Tite would restore a healthy Neymar directly to the Brazil lineup.
It was apparent Tite will have to make some adjustments to his lineup and approach if this turns out to be more about thriving in Neymar’s absence than enduring without him until his return. Brazil needs to find a way to get striker Richarlison and winger Vinicius Jr. more access to the ball in dangerous situations. Playing as a central striker, Richarlison had only 17 touches in 73 minutes on the field. His only two shots were blocked.
“Tough game, but it was important to win,” Neymar tweeted afterward. “Congratulations team, first step taken.”
If the next steps must be taken without him, Brazil can manage.
