Even before an epic final won by Lionel Messi and Argentina, FIFA president Gianni Infantino was calling it “the best World Cup ever” in Qatar. There was clear self-interest to declare the success of a tournament that was politically fraught for most of the 12 years since the wealthy emirate was picked as host by a previous FIFA leadership broadly tainted by corruption allegations. FIFA's fundamental role is to oversee global soccer's rules and make sure World Cups happen on schedule: Goal achieved, billions of dollars duly earned. Read more: World Cup review: Best and worst of the tournament in Qatar As ever with arguably world sport's most colorful governing body, there was much else going on. ON THE FIELD When the games begin focus shifts to the field, and FIFA got that early on day three when Messi and Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia 2-1 in an upset for the ages. One day later, Germany lost to Japan and then Brazil delighted the world in its first game against Serbia. Morocco picked up the baton and was the first African or Arab nation to still be playing on the last weekend of a World Cup. Games were consistently compelling if not the best quality. These were not vintage Spain or Netherlands teams, and not even Brazil by the time of its quarterfinals exit. The drama rose with simultaneous group-stage games that carried Japan, South Korea and Croatia to the round of 16 and sent Germany and Belgium home. All continents got teams into the knockout rounds, letting Infantino repeat his claim of soccer “becoming truly global for the first time.” When the final was a true classic on Sunday, Argentina winning on penalties after a 3-3 draw, it left everyone except France feeling like they won. POLITICS It was a most political World Cup. Before a game was played there was scrutiny of Qatar for its human rights record, employment practices and a years-long boycott by neighboring states in which FIFA pushed for the Gulf region to share the tournament. In the final weeks of preparation, Qatar pushed back more confidently against its critics – a process FIFA joined after teams and media arrived on site. Infantino’s infamous “I feel gay, I feel a migrant worker” speech on Nov. 19 hit many of the host nation’s talking points that alleged western hypocrisy and racism. FIFA gave assurances in private — to European teams about captains wearing anti-discrimination armbands; to fans about wearing rainbow symbols; to World Cup sponsor AB InBev about selling Budweiser beer with alcohol at stadiums – that started to collapse. Bonds of trust were severely strained. Pre-tournament talk of being open to supporting a compensation fund and better resources for migrant workers in Qatar was mostly shut down. Read more: 2026 World Cup hosts take diplomatic handover from Qatar Qatar’s World Cup was a state-run project and it seemed clear who was in charge. When European women lawmakers came to games wearing the “One Love” armband, Middle East officials started sporting a Palestinian armband. When an Italian field invader displayed European activist messages, days later a Tunisian man did the same with a Palestinian flag. During the tournament, basic operational detail was hard to get and most requests were ignored. Routine briefings and news conferences at past World Cups, including Russia in 2018, did not happen. A guiding principle seemed to be “never complain, never explain” for World Cup organizers. FANS The FIFA president is traditionally jeered at World Cup finals. It happened again on Sunday when Infantino was introduced for the trophy presentations. Infantino also was booed when the TV broadcast showed him sitting in VVIP seats during the England-Wales game. Both countries had armband and rainbow issues with FIFA, while British media extensively covered migrant labor issues. Though Argentina and Morocco fans traveled in big numbers, fewer than expected Europeans came to Qatar. The pre-tournament target was 1.2 million international visitors but the official total was less than 800,000 entering the final week. Yet, when thousands of Morocco fans tried to arrive for an unexpected semifinal against France last Wednesday, several flights into Doha were canceled to limit numbers. High-priced accommodation like tents and cabins also seemed to put off visiting fans. Empty seats at kickoff for most games would steadily fill by halftime. There was evidence and anecdotes of residents in Qatar being taken to games and offered free tickets, and the host nation’s loudest cheer squad was fans brought from Lebanon and Syria. When tournament attendance topped 3.4 million, it was unclear and went unanswered if the total included all the volunteers, catering and security staff who clocked in to work in stadiums. MORE MONEY This was a clear win for FIFA, despite a likely breach of contract issue to resolve with AB InBev. FIFA reported higher than expected revenue of $7.5 billion for the four-year commercial cycle tied to Qatar’s World Cup. The World Cup was a tougher sell in the past decade when new sponsors came only from Russia and Qatar — two often problematic host nations — and China while prosecutors in the United States, Switzerland and France ran corruption investigations targeting soccer officials. A late run of sponsor signings for this World Cup included tourism in Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas, plus companies in the online gambling, cryptocurrency and blockchain sectors. Read more: Messi fulfils his destiny, Argentina win third World Cup Most deals now expire and FIFA plans to cash in from staging a bigger 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, by offering sponsors huge local markets and more games being played mostly in high-yield NFL stadiums. Infantino said on Friday that FIFA’s four-year forecast is for $11 billion through 2026. All 211 member federations will be getting millions more dollars from Zurich. HIGH LIFE FIFA leaders could stay in opulent Qatari hotels that opened just in time for the World Cup. One base was the waterside Fairmont Hotel, nearly 40 stories high and shaped like a curved sword. It offered 18-karat gold tiles in the shower of some suites and a 56-meter (185-foot) high chandelier in the lobby. Coupled with an unprecedented level of security at a World Cup, it added to the feel of FIFA isolating in an ivory tower. While France’s President Emmanuel Macron went for a brief walkabout at the main market in Doha, Infantino almost never met ordinary fans. One regular Infantino companion was a celebrity chef famed for painting gold leaf on steaks that costs hundreds of dollars at his restaurants. The chef, known as Salt Bae, also seemed to breach World Cup protocol by holding the gold trophy when joining the Argentina players on the field on Sunday for post-game celebrations. For veteran FIFA watchers, it was an apt final symbol for the World Cup in Qatar.

Fourteen additional police teams have been deployed in Brahmanbaria district to avoid clashes during the final match of Qatar World Cup between Argentina and France on Sunday. Joynal Abedin, additional superintendent of Brahmanbaria Police, said 14 additional police teams have been deployed in the district to avoid possible clash between the supporters of France and Argentina over the world cup final match. Besides, the regular patrol team will patrol the district alongside the additional teams. Read more: Messi seeks glory, Argentina meets France in World Cup final Last year, the supporters of Argentina and Brazil locked into a fierce clash during the Copa America Final match at Kheuai village in Sadar upazila of Brahmanbaria district. A chase and counter chase took place during the clash.

Group G winner Brazil will take on Group H runner-up South Korea tonight in their Round of 16 fixtures. Group E winner Japan will play against Group F runner-up Croatia in their last-16 encounter. Five-time champions Brazil are considered favourites against South Korea, while Japan have emerged as a slight favourite against 2018 runner-up Croatia after their brilliant showing in the group phase. The winners of these two matches will meet in the quarter-finals, so Brazil and Japan can face off in the last eight of the Qatar World Cup. FIFA World Cup 2022: Brazil vs South Korea match preview The Brazilian campaign is in a bit of a crisis after Gabriel Jesus and Alex Tellas were both ruled out due to injury issues. However, Neymar Jr. will be back and most likely start the match for Brazil, which is big news for them. Read More: Unpredictable FIFA World Cup 2022: What we can expect more in the knockout roundsThere will be some major changes in the Brazilian starting XI, and coach Tite may deploy an attacking-minded eleven against South Korea to get an early lead in the contest. The formation could be 4-3-3, where Neymar will play the attacking midfield position to create chances for the forwards.South Korea, on the other hand, will likely deploy a defensive approach for the contest. Starman Son Heung-min hasn’t been in his usual form this World Cup, which is a big negative point for the Korean side. He needs to step up for his national side, and what better occasion could there be than the Brazil match to unleash his true potential?South Korea will likely play with two defensive midfielders in order to discard Brazil’s continuous attacking threat and try to find the equalizer through a counter-attack. But will their strategy work against the Selecao in order to keep them from scoring in 90 minutes? Prediction: Brazil will certainly start as hot favourite to win their Round of 16 match against South Korea, and the scoreline could be 3-1. Qatar World Cup 2022: Japan vs Croatia match preview Japan surprised everyone after securing its place in the Round of 16 as the winner of Group E. They defeated two former champions, Germany and Spain, in the group stage, which has piqued the interest of football fans. Read More: Pelé’s family: COVID caused infection, death not imminentA significant number of Japanese players play in Europe's top-tier leagues, which boosts their confidence and results on the field. Goalkeeper Gonda, forward player Ritsu Doan, the defensive line led by Tomiyasu, and Taniguchi have been doing well for their country. These players will be important again in this crucial contest against Croatia. Japan may deploy a 3-1-3-3 formation in order to take control of the midfield. Their wing-backs will be important in formulating attacks.Croatia, on the other hand, haven’t had the best time so far in Qatar 2022, except for the match against Canada. They finished second in their group behind a rejuvenated Moroccan side.The 2018 champions will be led by veteran midfielder Luka Modric. Kramaric and Perisic will be crucial upfront, while Dejan Lovren and Juranovic have to shoulder the bulk of the responsibilities at the back.One of the important things to consider is that most of their key players are over 30 years old, and the Japanese team can take advantage of this by bringing fresh legs in order to win one-on-one duels.Croatia will likely deploy a 4-3-3 formation for this game, with Modric playing the creative midfield role. Prediction: The majority expects Japan to overcome its Round of 16 fixture against Croatia after two magnificent victories over Germany and Spain. The match may end in extra time or even a penalty shootout. Read More: Qatar World Cup: Who are likely to advance to the quarterfinals? Aftermath Brazil's team has too much quality to overcome South Korea in their Round of 16 Qatar World Cup match. On the other side, Japan, who dominated in the group stage, has emerged as the favorite in its Round of 16 encounter against Croatia. If Brazil and Japan win their respective matches tonight, they will face off in the quarterfinals, and the odds are in their favour.

Iran’s national soccer team received a subdued welcome home after its World Cup defeat against the United States, a match played against the backdrop of ongoing anti-government protests in Iran. One Iranian man was shot dead celebrating the American victory. The players returned from Qatar late Wednesday, a day after their 1-0 loss. Anti-government protesters, considering the team a symbol of Iran’s clerical rulers, had celebrated the loss in some Iranian cities with fireworks and cheers. One man was shot dead by Iranian security forces in northwest Iran for honking his car horn in support of the U.S. victory, the Oslo-based rights monitor Iran Human Rights reported on Thursday. Iran’s treatment of the players will likely be scrutinized because they refrained from singing the Islamic Republic’s national anthem during their opening World Cup match. Many considered the move a show of solidarity with the protests. The team did sing the anthem in subsequent matches. A few dozen fans greeted the national team’s return at Tehran’s international airport late Wednesday, with people cheering and waving the Iranian flag. Read more: Some football fans in Iran celebrate US win over the country's national team in World Cup Yet the players have faced biting criticism from anti-government protesters who have blamed the team for not being more vocal about the security force’s violent put down of the demonstrations. Human rights groups say over 400 protesters have been killed in the crackdown, with thousands more arrested. An image of players bowing in the presence of President Ebrahim Raisi before setting off to the tournament was widely criticized by activists on social media. A hardline cleric, Raisi has likened protesters to “flies” and dismissed the movement as a foreign plot, without offering any proof. Mehran Samak, 27, was shot dead after honking his car in support of the U.S. win after Tuesday’s match in the city of Bandar Anzali in northwest Iran. Oslo-based Iran Human Rights reported he was “shot in the head by state forces when he went out to celebrate the Islamic Republic’s loss.” Samak is also a childhood friend of Iranian midfielder Saeed Ezatollahi, who mourned his death on his social media. But again he received criticism from activists for not explicitly stating Samak was killed by government forces. Read more: US Soccer's gesture of support for Iranian protesters Many Iranian celebrities have however been targeted by the government with arrest or other measures for speaking out on behalf of the protesters. Iranian officials acknowledged but downplayed compatriots celebrating the U.S. win. Gen. Hossein Salami, chief of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, said those who had celebrated were doing so on “behalf of the enemies,” adding “it is not important to us.” His comments appeared in the semi-official Tasnim news agency. A former culture minister and editor-in-chief of the Ettelaat newspaper, Abbas Salehi, who has close ties with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, tweeted: “Iran’s defeat in the game against America was bitter, but even more bitter was the happiness of some people.” Iran was eliminated from the tournament in Qatar following the loss to the U.S. on Tuesday that saw the players scrambling to score a goal in the last remaining minutes of the game. Striker Sardar Azmoun told reporters he was not satisfied with his performance in the last match. It was the sixth time Iran has participated in the World Cup. Anti-government protests first erupted in September, following the death of 22-year old Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran’s morality police in the capital, Tehran. The protests quickly grew into the most serious challenge to Iran’s theocracy since its establishment in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Shaheen stretched out on the sand and closed his eyes, but there was little time to rest for the camel. World Cup fans coming in droves to the desert outside Doha were ready for their perfect Instagram moment: riding a camel on the rolling dunes. As Qatar welcomes more than a million fans for the monthlong World Cup, even its camels are working overtime. Visitors in numbers the tiny emirate has never before seen are rushing to finish a bucket list of Gulf tourist experiences between games: ride on a camel’s back, take pictures with falcons and wander through the alleyways of traditional markets. On a recent Friday afternoon, hundreds of visitors in soccer uniforms or draped in flags waited for their turn to mount the humpbacked animals. Camels that did not rise were forced up by their handlers. When one camel let out a loud grunt, a woman from Australia shrieked, “it sounds like they’re being violated!” Nearby, a group of men from Mexico dressed in white Qatari thobes and headdresses took selfies. “It’s really an amazing feeling because you feel so tall,” 28-year-old Juan Gaul said after his ride. The Argentine fan was visiting Qatar for a week from Australia. Cashing in on the opportunity are the animals’ handlers who, thanks to the World Cup, are making several times more than they normally would. Read more: On outskirts of Doha, laborers watch World Cup they built “There’s a lot of money coming in,” said Ali Jaber al Ali, a 49 year-old Bedouin camel herder from Sudan. “Thank god, but it’s a lot of pressure.” Al Ali came to Qatar 15 years ago but has worked with camels since he was a child. On an average weekday before the World Cup, Al Ali said his company would offer around 20 rides per day and 50 on weekends. Since the World Cup started, Al Ali and the men he works with are providing 500 rides in the morning and another 500 in the evening. The company went from having 15 camels to 60, he said. “Tour guides want to move things fast,” Al Ali said, “so they add pressure on us.” As crowds formed around them, many camels sat statue-like with cloth muzzles covering their mouths and bright saddles on their bodies. The smell of dung filled the air. Like other Gulf cultures, camels once provided Qataris a vital form of transport and helped in the exploration and development of trade routes. Today, the ungulates figure into cultural pastimes: camel racing is a popular sport that takes place on old-school tracks outside the city. Al Ali said he knows when an animal is tired — usually if it refuses to get up or sits back down after rising to its feet. He can identify each camel by its facial features. Read more: Qatar World Cup: US journalist says he was ‘detained’ over rainbow shirt “I am a Bedouin. I come from a family of Bedouins who care for camels. I grew up loving them,” Al Ali said. But the sudden rise in tourists means there’s less time to rest between rides, he said. A short ride lasts just 10 minutes while longer ones run 20 to 30 minutes long. Normally, Al Ali said a camel can rest after five rides. “Now, people are saying we can’t wait ... because they have other plans they need to go to in the middle of the desert," he said. Since the World Cup started, the animals are taken for 15 to 20 — sometimes even 40 rides — without a break. Al Ali's day starts around 4:30 a.m., when he feeds the animals and gets them ready for customers. Some tourists have been arriving at dawn, he said, hoping to get the perfect sunrise shot, “so we have to work with them and take photos for them." From midday until 2 p.m, both handlers and camels rest, he said. “Then we start getting ready for the afternoon battle." But not every visitor has been taken by the experience. Pablo Corigliano, a 47 year-old real estate agent from Buenos Aires, said he was hoping for something more authentic. The excursions start on a stretch of desert by the side of a highway, not far from the industrial city of Mesaieed and its vast oil refineries. “I was expecting something more wild,” said Corigliano. “I thought I would be crossing the desert, but when I arrived, I saw a typical tourist point.” Soon after, Corigliano and a group of friends looked for a dune buggy to race into the desert. 

A protester ran onto the field Monday carrying a rainbow flag and wearing a blue Superman T-shirt that said “SAVE UKRAINE” on the front and “RESPECT FOR IRANIAN WOMAN” on the back during a World Cup match between Portugal and Uruguay. Security officials chased the protester down and the flag was dropped on the field before the person was escorted away. The referee then picked up the flag and left it on the sideline, where it stayed for a few moments before a worker came and collected it. The protester was ushered away through a tunnel. It wasn’t immediately clear if the person faced any charges or had been detained by police. Thierry De Backer, FIFA’s media officer at the game, told The Associated Press he had “no idea” what happened to the protester. Local Qatari organizers would not comment. read more: Why are World Cup players donning unusual face masks on pitch? In the first week of the tournament in Qatar, seven European teams lost the battle to wear multi-colored “One Love” armbands during World Cup matches. Fans also complained they weren’t allowed to bring items with rainbow colors, a symbol of LGBTQ rights, into the stadiums of the conservative Islamic emirate. Qatar’s laws against gay sex and treatment of LGBTQ people were flashpoints in the run-up to the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East. Qatar has said everyone was welcome, including LGBTQ fans, but that visitors should respect the nation’s culture. The incident occurred during the second half of the game at Lusail Stadium. Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who scored both goals in his team’s 2-0 win, said he was so focused on the game that he didn’t really notice what the protester’s intent was, and that he thought the protester might have wanted to take a picture with Cristiano Ronaldo, his star teammate. Read more: Qatari bathrobes’: German commentator under fire for disparaging remark about traditional attire “To be honest I didn’t really see what was the message that was trying to be conveyed,” Fernandes said through a translator. “But we’ve already spoken about that many times. ... We respect all human rights but those are political issues where we unfortunately don’t really have much strength, where we can’t really change anything.” Before the World Cup started, Fernandes said soccer should be “for everyone,” adding that he wasn’t happy about workers who died building stadiums in Qatar.

Portugal marched to the last 16 of the ongoing FIFA World Cup beating Urgugay by 2-0 on Monday. It was Bruno Fernandes who eventually credited with the goal that set up Portugal’s 2-0 win.  Fernandes curled in a cross from the left that barely went over the head of the leaping Ronaldo and bounced into the far corner of the net in the 54th minute to give Portugal a 1-0 lead. Read More: Neymar gets treatment at hotel as Brazil plays at World Cup A grinning Ronaldo threw his arms in the air, suggesting he got the final touch, and was embracing Fernandes as multiple close-up replays were being shown on the big screens in Lusail Stadium. The goal wound up being awarded to Fernandes, who added a second from the penalty spot in stoppage time after a handball by Jose Maria Gimenez. Fernandes was denied a hat trick with virtually the last kick of the game, his shot from outside the area hitting the post and bouncing wide. Portugal, which opened with a 3-2 win over Ghana, became the third team to reach the last 16 after France and Brazil. Read More: Why are World Cup players donning unusual face masks on pitch? Uruguay has one point from two matches and needs to beat Ghana on Friday to stand a chance of advancing. The match was briefly interrupted just before the goal by a protestor carrying a rainbow flag and wearing a blue Superman T-shirt that said "SAVE UKRAINE" on the front and "RESPECT FOR IRANIAN WOMAN" on the back. Security officials chased the protestor down and the flag was dropped on the field. Portugal defender Pepe became the second oldest outfield player to feature at a World Cup, at the age of 39. The oldest is Roger Milla, who was 42 when he played for Cameroon at the 1994 tournament. Portugal left back Nuno Mendes dropped to the ground in the 40th minute and was soon in tears after sustaining a match-ending injury. He was able to walk off the field unassisted. Portugal’s other left back is Raphael Guerreiro. Read More: Casemiro helps Brazil overcome Swiss challenge After this win over Uruguay, Portugal are at the top of the points table with six points from two wins, while Ghana are right behind them with three points from one win. South Korea and Uruguay have secured one point each. 

The match was anticipated to be intense because both sides were fighting for victory. Ghana and South Korea did not disappoint football fans with their aggressive displays. The African side, Ghana, finally came out as winners against South Korea thanks to Mohammed Kudus' goal in the 68th minute. Ghana's chances of advancing to the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 have enhanced as a result of this victory. World Cup 2022: Ghana vs South Korea The match between Korea and Ghana was expected to be an exciting one because both teams were searching for three points to move up the Group H points table. South Korea dominated possession of the ball, but Ghana was always a real threat going forward, especially on counterattacks. Read More: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022: Cameroon, Serbia share points as match ends in 3-3 draw Ghana had frequently found enough room in the Korean defense to equalize as the Asian side couldn't maintain discipline in their back line due to their ultra-aggressive approach. In doing so, Ghana stunned the Korean side by scoring two consecutive goals in the space of ten minutes in the first half. The first came from a tangled situation involving a cross ball from the left wing, where multiple players on both sides attempted to get a touch, but Mohammed Salisu of Ghana eventually slammed it into the back of the net. Ten minutes later, Mohammed Kudus headed the ball to the net after receiving another cross from the left wing. The Ghanaian side was in relief after taking a 2-0 lead at the end of the first half. Ghana didn't realize that South Korea would come out with even more aggression in the second half and, more importantly, that they would be able to score two goals in quick succession. Korea found the net twice in the space of four minutes, as Cho Gue-Sung's brace helped his side make the score 2-2. However, Mohammed Kudus regained Ghana's lead in the match after just seven minutes, and it held up to the very end. Read More: Portugal vs Uruguay FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where and how to watch online and on TV Channel, predicted XI Aftermath Both Ghana and South Korea wanted victory from this contest, so they were gearing up to go all the way against each other. However, Ghana eventually defeated South Korea in a high-scoring 3-2 game to advance to second place in the FIFA World Cup 2022 Group H point standings.

The crucial Group G match between Cameroon and Serbia ended in a 3-3 draw at Al Janoub Stadium today as both sides earned a point each. Cameroon have taken the third spot in the group's points table thanks to a better goal difference, while Serbia moved to the fourth spot. Both teams are still in the race for a top-two finish, which will secure a spot in the round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Qatar World Cup 2022: Cameroon vs Serbia match report Serbia dominated the game, as expected, with a high percentage of ball possession, while the Cameroonian side was constantly eying to find a space in the Serbian defense to equalize. In fact, Cameroon scored the first goal of the match thanks to Jean-Charles Castelletto's 29th-minute strike. Read More: Portugal vs Uruguay FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where and how to watch online and on TV Channel, predicted XI Cameroon, however, could not maintain their lead for long. Strahinja Pavlovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic scored for Serbia in the first-half injury time and swung the momentum in their favour. Serbia continued their dominance in the second half, and it took only eight minutes for them to make the scoreline 3-1. This time, Aleksandar Mitrovic was the equalizer. At that point, Serbia were well and truly in control of the match and was the favourite to win it eventually. However, Cameroonian striker Vincent Aboubakar came off the bench and did the job for his team by scoring a goal in the 63rd minute, followed by setting up another one for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the 66th minute to make the scoreline 3-3. Both sides tried to score the winning goal in the remaining time of the contest, but neither side was successful. Read More: Qatar World Cup 2022 Day 9: Neymar-less Brazil to face Switzerland, Ronaldo’s Portugal to take on Uruguay Aftermath The Cameroon vs Serbia match was important in the context of the Group G points table, which eventually ended in a 3-3 draw. Brazil and Switzerland should have been happy with the outcome as they are currently sitting in the first and second positions, respectively, with 3 points each in Group G of the FIFA World Cup 2022.

The Brazilian team taking part in Qatar has been called the best team to take part in the tournament since the legend-filled triumphant side of 2002. A hugely important figure in the current Selecao team is Neymar. No wonder that his knee injury in Brazil's 2-0 win against Serbia in their opening game of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has caused worldwide concern amongst the fanbase. With Neymar expected to be out for the remaining group stage games, his presence could prove vital to Tite's side. Will Brazil continue to shine without Neymar? Read More: Spain vs Germany FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where and how to watch online and on TV Channel, predicted XI A Big Miss? Brazil are the most successful team when it comes to the FIFA World Cup. The South American nation also hold the record for taking part in all 22 editions of the tournament. For the Qatar 2022 tournament, Neymar Jr. is a very important player for the Selecao. The PSG attacker is Brazil's second-top scorer with 75 goals in 122 games for the Selecao, only behind Pele, who has 77 goals. In qualifying, the Brazilian scored eight goals, which was the most for his country and two more than second-placed Richarlison. With 55 assists to his name, the Santos youth product is an elite playmaker who can also score goals. Although some criticism has been drawn up against him for his commitment to football at club level, he has been exceptional when he has been on the pitch for Paris Saint-Germain. In the past year, he has been in the top 1% for xA, non-penalty xG+xA, shot-creating actions, passes attempted among forwards, and progressive passes. With 11 goals and 9 assists in 1080 league minutes, he has been in red-hot form for his club. He's been doing it for PSG in the UCL as well, scoring two and assisting two in five UCL games. Without a doubt, he is one of the best players on the planet right now. Thus, now that his undeniable importance has been established, how much will Brazil miss him? Is there someone who can replace him in that squad? Read More: Iran shuts out noise at World Cup but United States looms The Solution As already seen in the game against Serbia, where the European team largely managed to silence Neymar, Brazil is not entirely dependent on the PSG forward to get them out of sticky situations.It is no longer the case where Brazil depends on moments of magic from their talisman in order to defeat mid-level or top-level opponents. With an attack that boasts the likes of Vinicius Junior, Richarlison, Raphinha, Gabriel Martinelli, Rodrygo, Antony, and Gabriel Jesus, Brazil are well stocked in the attacking department even in the absence of Neymar. Neymar has predominantly been seen being deployed in the hole behind the frontline, a position that could be occupied by Lucas Paqueta and Gabriel Jesus to a highly successful degree. In the match, Brazil played a midfield trio of Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta, and Neymar. This midfield struggled to recycle the ball and lacked balance in the first half. The introduction of Bruno Guimaraes changed the outcome of the match, bringing balance to the heart of Brazil. Thus, in the wake of Neymar's injury, Tite could explore playing a more balanced midfield, which will allow his forwards to play with more freedom and lessen the pressure that is usually put on the backline. But if he wants a like-for-like replacement for the Sao Paulo-born superstar, then Gabriel Jesus and Lucas Paqueta can easily step up in his position to fill his void to some extent. Read More: Australia's emotions run high after rare World Cup win Verdict Similar to Messi and Ronaldo, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 could be Neymar's final World Cup appearance. We saw in 2014 what he was capable of when he's on form, at his peak. His injury in that World Cup was a huge setback for the host countries, who were humiliated in the semifinals by eventual winners Germany. Neymar is unarguably the most key element in his Brazilian attack. However, if he is the best rice in the world, his teammates will add flavour and color. Brazil have already demonstrated that their Samba magic is in full flow, and it will continue in the remainder of the group stage despite the absence of their star player Neymar.