Fansided

10 players with the most to prove

By Harvey Cruz

20180327 - Brussels, Belgium / International Friendly Game : Belgium v Saudi Arabia / "nEden HAZARD"nPicture by Vincent Van Doornick / Isosport
20180327 - Brussels, Belgium / International Friendly Game : Belgium v Saudi Arabia / "nEden HAZARD"nPicture by Vincent Van Doornick / Isosport /
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Brazil’s Neymar during the Bobby Moore Fund International match at Wembley Stadium, London. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
Brazil’s Neymar during the Bobby Moore Fund International match at Wembley Stadium, London. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images) /

3. Neymar

Who knows what would’ve happened had Neymar played against Germany in that semifinal four years ago A back injury ended his dreams in 2014, when Neymar led his country to the final four with some dazzling performances. Still, the fact he watched from the sidelines won’t make 7-1 hurt any less.

He got some revenge in the Rio Olympics in 2016, but Neymar and Brazil know the only way to erase the memory of 2014 is to win a sixth World Cup. After missing the second half of the season with Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar is back in training and played in the selecao‘s pre-World Cup friendlies.

This is not the Brazil of 2006 or 2010. The days of Dunga are over. Under Tite, Brazil have regained their swagger. And in Group E with Serbia, Costa Rica and Switzerland, they’ll be expected to dominated, just as they did in qualifying, when they scored 41 goals in 18 matches and finished 10 points ahead of second-place Uruguay.

Neymar is the consensus third best player in the world, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Leading his country to a World Cup would help him finally begin to move out from under their shadow. In a well-functioning team, surrounded by attacking talent, Neymar is in position to thrive.