Neymar - The Difference Maker

Neymar has scored seven goals in his last six Brazil appearances. Red hot.

 

You think about the great players, they have had a World Cup when they have done it for their country. Neymar has stepped up with big goals and you would like for one of Neymar or Messi to say this is the World Cup they put themselves in the bracket of a Ronaldo, Zidane or Maradona.

So often in life and in football a success story needs a little bit of failure - that is the case with Neymar.

"I vividly remember the first time I saw him, he came on for Santos for the last seven minutes when his side was 2-1 up in the Maracana. We had heard about him, that he was a tricky dribbler, but the first thing he did was to ping a 45-yard diagonal ball that opened up the opposition defence and led to a goal.

"In the remaining five minutes he had an opposing player sent off and had shot parried out and turned in for 4-1. But then he went to the U17 World Cup and he was an absolute flop. Brazil were eliminated in the group stage and he was twice taken off.

"Neymar now has confidence in his own ability. He has got himself up to a level now where he believes he can turn it on in the big occasions and believes he can make the difference in big matches."