Neymar shrugs off London loss, happy with silver
Source: Agencies |
August 16, 2012, Thursday
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Print Edition
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BRUISED by its loss to Mexico in the Olympic final, Brazil begins its journey to the 2014 World Cup with a friendly against Sweden.
The match, the last to be played at Stockholm's Rasunda stadium, offers a chance for coach Mano Menezes to return home on the back of a win.
The Brazilian football federation had hinted before the Olympics that a disappointing result in London could cost Menezes his job, but a decision is not expected until the team returns later this week.
For some in the Brazil team, the disappointment of losing the gold medal match has started to fade. "Life goes on. I am satisfied with the Olympics and we won a silver medal after all and I'm happy that I was there," said forward Neymar.
Brazil is bringing most of the players in the squad that lost the final 1-2 to Mexico, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a doubt for the Swedes. The Paris Saint-Germain striker's right foot is swollen after a knock during the French league opener against Lorient on Saturday.
"We haven't made a decision yet. We'll have to see how it develops," Ibrahimovic said. "It's of course special to play Brazil," he said. "Everyone wants to play them. They have some of the world's best players. Also as a team they are one of the best in the world."
Sweden coach Erik Hamren called up striker Tobias Hysen as a late addition to the squad. "I hope that everyone is healthy and available to play in Wednesday's match, including Zlatan, but we don't want to take any unnecessary risks with any player and we don't want to be one man short on the bench," Hamren said.
The friendly is the last match at Rasunda, which hosted the 1958 World Cup final between Brazil and Sweden. Several of the players from both squads will be present, including Pele, who scored two goals as Brazil won 5-2 to clinch its first of five World Cup titles.
The match, the last to be played at Stockholm's Rasunda stadium, offers a chance for coach Mano Menezes to return home on the back of a win.
The Brazilian football federation had hinted before the Olympics that a disappointing result in London could cost Menezes his job, but a decision is not expected until the team returns later this week.
For some in the Brazil team, the disappointment of losing the gold medal match has started to fade. "Life goes on. I am satisfied with the Olympics and we won a silver medal after all and I'm happy that I was there," said forward Neymar.
Brazil is bringing most of the players in the squad that lost the final 1-2 to Mexico, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a doubt for the Swedes. The Paris Saint-Germain striker's right foot is swollen after a knock during the French league opener against Lorient on Saturday.
"We haven't made a decision yet. We'll have to see how it develops," Ibrahimovic said. "It's of course special to play Brazil," he said. "Everyone wants to play them. They have some of the world's best players. Also as a team they are one of the best in the world."
Sweden coach Erik Hamren called up striker Tobias Hysen as a late addition to the squad. "I hope that everyone is healthy and available to play in Wednesday's match, including Zlatan, but we don't want to take any unnecessary risks with any player and we don't want to be one man short on the bench," Hamren said.
The friendly is the last match at Rasunda, which hosted the 1958 World Cup final between Brazil and Sweden. Several of the players from both squads will be present, including Pele, who scored two goals as Brazil won 5-2 to clinch its first of five World Cup titles.
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