Casemiro: Following Argentina’s Use of Messi, Brazil Can Also Structure Tactics Around Neymar

According to Camel.live reporters, Casemiro spoke about Neymar in an interview.

Note: Currently in Brazil, there are differing opinions on whether Neymar should be reselected for the Brazilian national team and participate in next year’s World Cup. This is not only related to Neymar’s physical condition (he has not yet fully recovered) but also to the tactical system designed by Ancelotti for Brazil—Ancelotti advocates a 4-3-3 formation with clear role positioning for the two wingers, while Neymar is no longer the player who used to operate along the flanks.

During the interview, Casemiro mentioned the tactical system adopted by Argentina at the Qatar World Cup and Messi’s on-field position in that system. When asked if Neymar could take on fewer defensive responsibilities in the Brazilian team, Casemiro gave his view: “Is it worth building the entire team around Neymar? Absolutely. That’s exactly what Argentina did with Messi. I emphasize again—for the world’s top three players (Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar), you can fully adopt the same strategy for Neymar. This doesn’t mean Neymar can stand still and let his teammates run—there’s no such thing. But Argentina did adapt the system to Messi: in games, Alvarez would drop back to receive the ball, Messi played as a ‘false nine’, the team would withdraw as a whole to defend densely against opponents, and Messi would wait for opportunities in the frontcourt.”

“Players of Messi, Ronaldo, and Neymar’s caliber have unquestionable individual ability—we must not waste their talent. In today’s football, the gap between teams is very small, and these top players are the key to breaking the balance. Neymar is indispensable to any team. If he can maintain good form, it will be crucial for us Brazil, because he is a special player with great strength.”