Rivaldo has warned the Brazilian national team that they’ll face a very difficult challenge if they and Lionel Messi’s Argentina get through their Copa America quarter-finals.
If Brazil and Argentina beat Paraguay and Venezuela respectively, in the last eight, they’ll meet in the semi-finals of the tournament.
“It certainly won’t be an easy route to the final, but when you have Messi… anything is possible!” Rivaldo said.
“Messi comes out on top in these big games. It’s there when Argentine need him most and Leo knows how to respond to these challenges.”
It’s well documented that Messi has been unable to win a trophy with Argentina so far in his career, but Rivaldo doesn’t think that’s his fault.
“Messi has been unlucky in his big games with Argentina,” Rivaldo said.
“In the World Cup final in 2014 and the Copa America finals against Chile, he didn’t have the luck that we [Brazil] had against Germany in 2002.
“It’s much easier to play for your club that for your country because there’s a lack of routine and your teammates are constantly changing.
There have been reports linking Neymar with a return to Barcelona to play with Messi again this summer and Rivaldo believes a move to the Camp Nou would be right for his compatriot.
“The best thing for him is to return, apologise to the fans in some way and show people that you regret what happened,” Rivaldo continued.
“At the end of the day, he’ll feel better at Barcelona I’m sure and he’ll be able to play his best football [there].”
Brazil are currently going for Copa America glory without Neymar, and Rivaldo thinks that they’re showing they can succeed without him.
“Brazil are playing well, but you’re always going to miss Neymar,” he said.
“The level [of the team] that is being shown, especially in the win against Peru, is good, for sure.
“Brazil have lots of great players in the squad, but Neymar is different. He’s the one that makes the difference.
“It would be good for Brazil to win the Copa America because this shows the spirit of the team going into the 2022 World Cup, but if they could win it without Neymar, then they’d definitely be able to achieve something else with him in the team.”
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