Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar has been a role model to numerous Brazil national team players over the years, including Barcelona winger Raphinha.
For one, Raphinha made his debut with Brazil in its 3-1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying victory over Venezuela last year. He was not named in the starting 11 for the match but rather entered the pitch at the start of the second half. Before Raphinha made an appearance in the contest, he touched base with Neymar in the locker room, and the PSG forward shared some words of advice with him.
“I was getting ready to enter the game against Venezuela, that I was going to enter in the second half, and then he, in the locker room, asked me if I was going to enter,” Raphinha told Globo.
“I said I didn’t know. He asked me if he could give me some advice, and I obviously said yes. I would ask for ten more pieces of advice at that moment if it were possible.
“He told me to be myself, to play the football that got me to the Selecao. The football that made me be there at that moment, to go up, not to lower my head if I lose the ball. Because if I only passed the ball to the side, there would be millions of players to do that. So that I could show my personality and do what I know how. And to hear this from Neymar, who is a reference on and off the field, was an immense honor for me. I still carry this with me today.”
Raphinha could end up being one of the two forwards who may accompany Neymar in Brazil manager Tite’s 4-3-3 setup at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They have had standout performances on the pitch together for the Selecao, including in its 5-1 win over Tunisia, where they combined for three goals scored.
The Brazil national team will kick off its World Cup group stage schedule with a clash against Serbia coming next week.
