BRASILIA // According to the legendary Brazilian playwright Nelson Rodrigues, “what we want from football is drama, tragedy, horror, compassion”.
On Friday, Brazil got it all and Saturday it woke up to the aftermath.
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“Neymar is out of the Cup” read the headline of Rio-based newspaper Jornal O Globo, alongside a photo of the team’s creative force writhing in agony.
The 22-year-old forward fractured a vertebra in his spine after a high and reckless challenge from Colombia’s Juan Zuniga. Extra, the paper’s supplement, added: “Cowardice takes the Cup”.
Friday was supposed to be a day of celebration after Brazil confirmed their place in the semi-finals with a 2-1 win over Colombia.
But instead of looking forward to a last-four tussle with Germany, all of Brazil was wondering how the national team was to cope without its prolific striker.
Read more: Neymar injury could spell trouble for Brazil’s title hopes
“The pain stopped our joy” was the headline in the Correio Braziliense, the daily newspaper printed in the country’s capital, Brasilia.
In Brazil’s five games, Neymar had scored more goals, had more shots and created more chances than any of his teammates. To say the Barcelona forward was the fulcrum of the his side’s attack would be an understatement. He was certainly also the tournament’s poster boy.
Luminaries as diverse as the Brazilian president to LeBron James to Lionel Messi passed on their best wished to Neymar on social media, while Diego Maradona, the Argentina legend, told Venezuela-based Telesur TV network: “It concerns not only the Brazilian people, but all of us who love football. It was his World Cup, in his country. He had great hopes.”
The country’s football daily, Lance!, urged the rest of the selecao to “play for him”, while Juca Kfouri, the venerated Brazilian columnist, was more hopeful, citing the 1962 tournament in which the country triumphed despite losing Pele to injury in only the second game.
“Even against the full national team, the Germans would be favourites,” Kfouri wrote. “Now, without Thiago Silva [who is suspended] and Neymar, the Germans are not only favourites, they are a near certainty, and therein lies the danger – for them. The Brazilian team, free of embarrassment of not reaching the semi-finals, has turned underdog ahead of their mission impossible.”
On the streets of Brasilia, the positivity was resounding. Manuel Branco, wearing the famous yellow No 10 shirt, said he had every confidence Brazil could still win the World Cup.
“Neymar, of course, is an important player, but it is a team game and this is war,” he said. “We must do whatever it takes to win, whether that is with or without Neymar.”
Ricardo Pinto, attending the match with his sister Luciana, said they were both “very angry” and hoped Zuniga would face retrospective punishment.
“It is criminal what he did,” he said. “If Fifa ban Luis Suarez for nine matches, I want to see what they will do to the Colombian.”
Luciana said: “Brazilians are very emotional people so I am convinced it will make the group stronger. They will win the World Cup for him, for Neymar.”
Even the Argentinians, in Brasilia for their own side’s quarter-final with Belgium yesterday, were disappointed by the injury.
“We don’t want to see good players injured,” said Ezequiel Coleman before kick off. “Also, I think Messi is better than Neymar and he would have proved that in the final. Now he won’t have the chance.”
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
Follow our sports coverage on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Lowest Test scores
26 - New Zealand v England at Auckland, March 1955
30 - South Africa v England at Port Elizabeth, Feb 1896
30 - South Africa v England at Birmingham, June 1924
35 - South Africa v England at Cape Town, April 1899
36 - South Africa v Australia at Melbourne, Feb. 1932
36 - Australia v England at Birmingham, May 1902
36 - India v Australia at Adelaide, Dec. 2020
38 - Ireland v England at Lord's, July 2019
42 - New Zealand v Australia in Wellington, March 1946
42 - Australia v England in Sydney, Feb. 1888
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
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Racecard
2pm Handicap Dh 90,000 1,800m
2.30pm Handicap Dh120,000 1,950m
3pm Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m
3.30pm Jebel Ali Classic Conditions Dh300,000 1,400m
4pm Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
4.30pm Conditions Dh250,000 1,400m
5pm Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
5.30pm Handicap Dh85,000 1,000m
The National selections:
2pm Arch Gold
2.30pm Conclusion
3pm Al Battar
3.30pm Golden Jaguar
4pm Al Motayar
4.30pm Tapi Sioux
5pm Leadership
5.30pm Dahawi
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
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Transmission: eight-speed PDK
Power: 630bhp
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FINAL RESULT
Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)
Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2
Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross
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Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo and dual electric motors
Power: 300hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,500-3,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.0L/100km
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if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
MATCH INFO
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