180 million → 12 million! An Shuai abandons Neymar s truth and hurts his heart

Seeing that Brazil is going to fight Paraguay in the World Cup qualifiers again, the old guys of the Samba Legion are afraid that they are mixed feelings.

Why? The focus is not on the tactical board, but is instead swept by two cold transfer screenshots - one is the sky-high transfer of 180 million euros to Paris in 2017, and the other is the dazzling number on the German transfer market in 2025: 12 million euros. What made fans even more nervous was that Neymar's name was neatly crossed out in the latest national team roster released by head coach Ancelotti. The former absolute core of the Samba Legion and the owner of the No. 10 jersey, who is only 33 years old, is not able to get into such a critical battle?

Walking into the locker room in Maracana, the atmosphere of preparation for war was tense.

Young players such as Vinicius and Rodrigo were meticulously organizing their equipment, and the air was filled with the tension before the war. And in the corner, the position that should belong to Neymar was empty and particularly conspicuous. Has Ancelotti hesitated? Outsiders don't know. But the iron-like fact is right in front of you: South America now has as many as 6.5 qualifying places in the World Cup, while Brazil only ranks fourth in the World Cup standings, only having a pitiful 1 point more than Uruguay and Colombia behind him, and leading 7th place Venezuela is only 3 points. Compared with the situation where Brazil firmly took the top spot and easily qualifying for the first place in previous years, the situation at this moment is really worrying. And what about the man who was once regarded as being able to change the situation with his own strength? Unfortunately, he was away from the field due to injury. Data shows that in the six seasons played for Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar played at most 31 games in a single season (2017-18) and had a minimum of 27 games (2021-22). After joining the Riyadh New Moon in Saudi Arabia, he has only made 19 appearances for the club and scored 4 goals in the two seasons so far. Injuries have become a heavy shackle that he cannot escape in his later career. There are voices from all sides surrounding the absence of this former superstar.

It is reported within the Brazilian Football Association that when the coaching staff evaluates the player's status, the core concern is whether Neymar's current physical fitness and continuous combat ability can support high-intensity games. This is not aimed at individuals, but based on the realistic considerations of the team's overall tactical needs. The fans' reaction was more direct, and the views on social platforms were fierce: some regretted that he was no longer at the peak and missed his inspiring creativity; some were blunt, believing that his past injury history and unstable attendance rate made it difficult for the national team to rely on; some fans compared Messi and Ronaldo of the same age to lament the importance of self-discipline and career planning. Veterans in the field of physical fitness training in European football also generally believe that long-term and repeated serious injuries will be a devastating blow to the competitive state of any top athlete, let alone forward players who have high requirements for speed and explosiveness. This is not a simple recovery problem, but an inevitable result after the accumulated loss.

So, how did Neymar's current situation form?

First, frequent and serious injuries are unavoidable obstacles. From the late stages of playing for Barcelona, ​​to the six years of Paris Saint-Germain, to Saudi Arabia, repeated injuries to key areas such as knees and ankles greatly limited his appearances and training consistency. Secondly, career choices and environmental changes also have an impact. The intensity of competition and tactical environments are very different from the European top league to the Saudi league, which is challenging in itself for a player who relies on rhythm and space. Furthermore, as time goes by, any star can hardly resist the laws of nature. Neymar is famous for his gorgeous technology and amazing breakthrough speed. When his physical function declines due to injuries and age, his signature style of play must be greatly limited. He himself has also publicly expressed his helplessness for injuries and his desire to return to the field as soon as possible. The impact of

on the Brazilian national team was immediate.

In the past, when Neymar had a healthy and in good shape, Brazil was recognized as one of the favorites to win the World Cup and was also extremely competitive when confronting strong teams such as Argentina. Look at the data: Neymar plays 128 games for Brazil, scoring an astonishing 79 goals, and is the historical scorer of the national team. His creativity, key passes and finishing ability are indispensable elements of the Samba Legion's offensive end. Today, although new stars such as Vinicius and Rodrigo are gifted and have amazing speed and skills, they still need time to accumulate experience and hone their mature mentality as a leader at the national team level. The data of Vinicius' national team scoring 6 goals in nearly 30 appearances also confirms the only way for young forwards to grow in the national team. Brazil's recent struggle in the World Cup qualifiers, especially the two losses against Argentina, is directly related to the lack of Neymar's explosive point that can instantly change the situation. Without this historic attacker, Brazil does not have many ways to overcome difficulties.

The World Cup expanded to 48 teams, and the number of places in South America increased to 6.5, which should have been the "safety rope" of Brazil.

Ironically, it is precisely in the context of the expansion of the army that the Brazilian team, which has lost its core, has fallen into an unprecedented qualifying crisis. If the old rules are followed (32 teams, 4.5 seats in South America), Brazil's current ranking of fourth place will be very dangerous. This fully shows that at a time when the overall strength of the South American powers is increasing and the competition is becoming increasingly fierce, any team, even five-star Brazil, cannot gain a foothold by relying solely on the glory of the past.

Looking back at Neymar's value plummeted (from its peak of 180 million euros to 12 million euros today), this is the comprehensive assessment result of the transfer market's current competitive status, age, injury risk and future development potential of players, cold but real. The value of professional players is ultimately based on stable performance and continuous contribution. Even legends like Messi and Ronaldo have their value in the later stages of their careers that follow the market rules, but their huge value to the team's tactical and spiritual levels often exceeds the numbers themselves. Behind the Saudi League’s high-paying contracts, they usually also contain binding clauses based on appearance and performance, which is the norm for modern professional football business rules. Although Ancelotti's choice made the fans feel disappointed, it reflects the considerations of an experienced coach based on reality.

Today's Brazilian team needs to tap the potential and cohesion of the existing lineup and find new answers to young people such as Vinicius, Rodrigo, and Enderic. Samba football's genes have never changed, and the desire for talent and victory remains in the blood. Neymar's story is sad, it reminds all those who love football: talent is the spark that ignites dreams, but injuries, self-discipline, choice and continuous struggle really determine how far a player can illuminate. The challenge of Brazil is right in front of us. I believe that this team with deep foundation will be able to find a way to the US, Canada and Mexico World Cup in many difficulties.

Old fans, what do you think about Neymar's downsizing and the current situation of the Brazilian team? Do you miss his sharp attack more, or are you looking forward to the rapid growth of the new generation? Welcome to chat in the comment section!