"Yes, yes. He will be playing. It’s not a sacrifice. We want to win, it’s a World Cup, but the coach is not going to risk a player’s health by being dishonest to him. That’s a price that’s too high to pay. Those values of health and honesty, no way, there’s no compromise," Tite told journalists, refuting contemplations over whether Neymar is fit to continue his national team’s quest for a sixth World Cup.
The world’s highest paid player had aroused concerns over his health after he quit training on Tuesday, reportedly due to an ankle problem, days after the disappointing 1-1 Brazil-Switzerland tie on Sunday, with Neymar drawing 10 fouls from his Swiss rivals. In wake of the draw, he caused criticism for being self-indulgent, as he persisted attacking the Swiss instead of passing the ball to his teammates.
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Tite, however, flatly rejected reports that he had allegedly asked the Paris Saint-Germain star to play more in the team’s interests.
"Absolutely not. The information you got is not true," Tite responded to a Brazilian journalist. "All of the players have this responsibility of playing for the collective (good) and being individuals.
He went on to say that he is not going “to take away from him his genius in the last third of the pitch.” He noted that the same applies to other brilliant players like Coutinho, Jesus, Willian and Firmino. Despite his ultimate goal of playing as a team, Tite stated that he has no intention of depriving his players of their “main characteristics.”
Neymar’s most recent injury scare follows multiple concerns over his fitness for the World Cup at large after a fracture in his right foot caused him to end his club season three months ago.
On his return from injury, Neymar notably scored in World Cup preparatory matches against Croatia and Austria, leading his team to wins in both. However on Sunday, June 17, Brazil failed to win its opening World Cup game against Switzerland, for the first time since 1978, when they drew 1-1 with Sweden.
On Friday, the five-time World Cup champions will face Costa Rica in St. Petersburg at 3:00 p.m. Moscow time.
