Neymar exalts Diniz, cites nostalgia for the national team and talks about physical condition

Back Brazilian Team after injury, Neymar gave a press conference this Thursday afternoon, the 7th, and spoke of the beginning of the work of Fernando Diniz in charge of the core team. Brazil faces the Bolivia this Friday, for the opening of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

The number 10 of the selection was sincere in the conversation with the journalists and commented on his physical condition to enter the field in Mangueirão, in Belém, in Pará. The star played for the last time on February 19, when he was still playing for PSG.

“It’s not the first time I’ve been called up to the national team in this way. A few years ago the same thing happened and I played the full 90 minutes. If I’m not mistaken, it was against Colombia, in the USA. I feel good, I feel happy, but obviously I’m not 100% physically. But the head is fine, the body is fine”, said Neymar.

“I don’t take the words that (coach Jorge) Jesus said at the time as meanness, but to preserve his player. I was going to play the last game, but I ended up taking a beating in training, he chose to leave me out of the game and come play for the national team. There’s no mystery, playing football no matter how long you stay still, you’ll always know how to play football. It’s like riding a bicycle.” added.

The highlight of Neymar’s interview was the praise for Fernando Diniz’s work. The Fluminense coach will make his debut for the national team this Friday and has the support of the players.

“It has been very rewarding. I’ve always admired Diniz’s work a lot. For everything he’s done at the clubs, for everything the players have already said about him, my friends. It is a great honor to work with him. He’s our commander, let’s try to make it work. My relationship with him is the same as I had with other coaches. A lot of affinity, a lot of respect, a lot of conversations. The athlete does have to talk to the coach, to hear his side. What sometimes comes out in the media is not true. You being very direct and truthful is the most important thing in this relationship.”praised the number 10.

“Diniz is a guy who does a job completely different from anything I’ve ever seen. It’s another kind of football. It’s a different mentality than I’ve ever had. Most trainers I’ve had did pretty much the same things. He likes to reinvent football, to give you options. He is a very interesting guy,” he said in another reply.

“He asked me what I thought of his game, and I said: “I thought it was very different”. We talk, me, Casemiro, Marquinhos. I said it was very different, but very pleasant, to arrive at the national team after 13 years and put on a completely different style, which you never did. It will be very important for the national team, for us players, to learn something new”, he added.

Other Answers

Departure from the Brazilian National Team

“Have you left home yet? Missed? Me too. It’s obvious that when your head is completely thinking about the defeat you had, it’s sad. It’s been 13 years with the national team, at one point I know it’s going to end, at that moment, I left it in doubt because that was what was going through my head. I’ll never play games, say I won’t do it and I will, I’m always very direct. If I’m in doubt, it’s the truth. If I have to go back, I’ll say that I missed you and I’ll come back. That was what happened. I was in doubt, yes, but after a lot of pressure from family and friends, you start to appreciate everything you’ve done. When it comes, the pressure is very great, a lot is happening, most of the criticism makes you sad and you don’t value what you did. When you are with your family, with your family, they put you in your place and see that it is worth continuing to have that happiness of continuing to wear the shirt of the Brazilian national team.”

Diniz’s treatment of players

“I have known him for a short time. I had two or three contacts with him. Once when he went to PSG, then here, that’s all. He’s a different guy, he cares a lot about the player. He is not only concerned with the player on the field, he is concerned outside. He has already said several times that the important thing is to be happy, if the player is happy, the result will be greater. He is a guy who cares a lot about human beings, he will help, he will facilitate. These are details that seem to make no difference, but they do. Diniz is a guy with a very big heart, he’s going to help us, and I’m sure he’s going to help a lot more.”

Positioning changes

“Tactically, it is difficult to change the style of play that we have in the national team, my positioning, mainly, I think it doesn’t change much, it remains very similar to what it was in Tite.”