Author: Monojit Mandal
In a surprising turn of events, in his first call-up as coach of the Brazilian national team, Fernando Diniz opened up about his conversation with none other than Neymar. The announcement was made on Friday, revealing Neymar’s involvement in the team’s first call-up under Diniz. The newly-appointed coach provided information about the conversation he had with the 31-year-old striker, hinting at Neymar’s strong willingness to work amicably with the new coaching staff.
Diniz revealed the facts of the conversation, saying: “Neymar eloquently conveyed his desire to chart a collective path”. In the early stages, he considered resuming his role in the national team. However, his passion was evident in our recent conversation. He is enthusiastic about the idea of co-creating a legacy with the national team.” “My feelings about him are no secret, and I reiterate: his kind of talent is extremely rare on the world soccer scene,” said Diniz, clearly an admirer of the player’s abilities.
Neymar, who has been out of the Brazil squad since the World Cup in November due to a serious ankle injury suffered in February, has recently returned to activity, missing the last two FIFA dates. Although Neymar’s future with the national team remains unknown, his admiration for the skills of coach Fernando Diniz has been clear in previous statements.
Diniz opted to leave Lucas Paquetá out of the team in his first choice as coach. In response to this exclusion, he reiterated his affection for the West Ham midfielder, noting that it was only a temporary omission due to the ongoing investigation into betting violations in England.
“Paquetá was a forerunner and a player I like. However, the current scenario calls for caution. It’s reasonable to give him time to resolve these issues. Despite our lack of partnership in the past, he remains a player I like very much.”
Although Diniz didn’t reveal the identity of the man who will take Paquetá’s place, he did reveal the midfield line-up, which includes André, Bruno Guimares, Casemiro, Joelinton and Raphael Veiga. Lucas Paquetá, 25, was a starter for Tite’s team during the last World Cup and has an incredible record of 42 caps and nine goals for Brazil.