⏳ World Cup throwback: Neymar’s heartbreak 😢

⏳ World Cup throwback: Neymar’s heartbreak 😢 Every four years, the hierarchy of world football is shaken up. Fallen favorites, inspired underdogs, moments of genius, flashes of temper: the World Cup always has its share of surprises. This series looks back at the storylines that defied every prediction. It is the story of a World Cup that seemed to have everything needed to become a dream for Brazilians. And while the dramatic semifinal remains one of the greatest moments in the history of the tournament, the first turning point for Brazil came in the previous round. In a Seleção struggling to produce convincing football, having miraculously survived on penalties against Chile in the previous round, Neymar rises above and carries a team that is collectively struggling. Yet against Colombia in the quarterfinal, Brazil put in a convincing display and lead 2-1 with just minutes remaining thanks to a goal from Thiago Silva and a legendary free kick from David Luiz. But fate is cruel. In the 88th minute, Neymar is about to control the ball when he is violently struck in the back by Juan Zuniga. The Brazilian star collapses, screaming in pain. Minutes go by and the Brazilian does not get back up, until he is finally carried off on a stretcher under the anxious gaze of his teammates and the spectators. For hours, Brazil holds its breath. Some supporters even stand vigil outside Neymar’s hospital. At last, the verdict comes down. The maestro has suffered a fractured vertebra and is ruled out of the World Cup—his World Cup. As if symbolic, the Seleção would collapse spectacularly in the next round against Germany (7-1). This match remains one of the tragedies of Neymar’s career, with Brazil already imagining him as the hero of a national team that was going to win its sixth star. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.