Neymar and his teammates practice choreography to celebrate the goals, while his quarter-final rival maintains his competitive spirit
Before the round of 16 game against Japan, the Croatians practiced the penalty shootout. Zlatko Dalic, the coach, verified that his starting goalkeeper, Livakovic, had a refined intuition. That good sign was confirmed later in the game. Croatia knocked out the Japanese in the shots. At another point in Doha and before also facing South Korea in the round of 16, Brazil’s players rehearsed ‘dancinhas’, which are dances that celebrate the goals they score. Raphinha revealed it. The Koreans had to attend four choreographies by Vinícius, Neymar and co. “We don’t respect anyone. It’s our way of expressing the joy of scoring a goal,” Raphinha responds to the criticism her dancing provoked. Croatia, its rival in the quarter-finals (today at 4 p.m. in the Ciudad de la Educación stadium), aims to cut off the dance of one of the favorites “Never look down on us,” warns Dalic.
The Croatian coach likes geographical comparisons. He did it in the hours before the duel with Japan, a country of 150 million people, and he is doing it now with Brazil and its 200 million. “We are only four million people, just a suburb of a Brazilian metropolis,” he emphasizes. At its World Cup debut, in 1998, it took third place. And she is the current runner-up. “We are a small nation, but we are brave, fighting and loyal,” defines Dalic, retaining veteran Modric as the linchpin of a team in full renovation.
Croatia suffered against Japan. He had to come back and force extra time and a penalty shootout, which was decided in his favour. Dalic doesn’t believe in coincidence. “Punishment is not a matter of luck, but of a strong mentality. Personality. Courage”, emphasizes the Croatian coach. With this psychological arsenal, he will face Brazil, a team ready to dance all rivals on their way to their sixth title thanks to their double talent, physical and technical.
Tite’s ‘Canarinha’ is a compact, seamless block. With insurance Allison in the target. With Thiago Silva as captain in defense. With Casemiro and his broom in the middle of the field. With an attacking trident formed by Vinicius, Richarlison and Raphinha. And moreover with Neymar, one of the few players capable of unleashing the most difficult game.
Neymar, recovered from his ankle injury, usually skips warm-up sessions wearing helmets. In his musical bubble. To the sounds of songs like ‘Dança de Pombo’ or ‘Pagodao do Birimbola’. Music is his best balm. And his teammates, the perfect chorus. They want to keep dancing against Croatia.
The European team does not accept that they are a troupe at that party. Brazil is favourite. He has players to form two top-level teams,” says the Croatian Lovren, aware of the work ahead. “How do you beat Brazil? You have to stop at ‘eleven’. They are fantastic individually, they play in the best teams in the world… Well, we are ready for this fight”, he conjures. “What are they dancing? Make them dance when they score a goal. It’s part of their culture,” Lovren admits. His teammate Kovasic also thinks of the goal: “If we scored first… That would help us. We’re dangerous there.” Which dance best.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
