I’ll Play You, Teach You a Lesson!
"The second half is starting. I wonder what adjustments Scolari's Brazil will make!"
Andy Gray watched the two teams walk out of the player tunnel and spoke.
"Brazil's main problem in the first half was their offense. In the group stage and knockout rounds, their attack was strong, but in the final, it seems to have failed."
Martin Tyler pinpointed Brazil's issues.
"And their defense doesn't seem as solid as expected. Thiago Silva's individual skills are strong, but he doesn't seem to have great chemistry with his national teammates. In the first half, Brazil's defenders were often seen chasing the ball, leaving their marks free."
"Yes, these are real problems. As a championship coach, Scolari must be aware of them. Let's see what adjustments he makes!"
The Brazilian fans at Maracanã Stadium also hoped for a different performance from Brazil in the second half.
Especially Pelé, who sat in the VIP box.
When Brazil took the lead in the first half, Pelé couldn't wait to post a picture on social media showing Brazil leading Spain 1-0, to prove he wasn't a jinx.
But before he could celebrate for long, Spain equalized with a brilliant play.
Okay, it's just a tie. With the current form of Brazil's players, regaining the lead is just a matter of time.
However, instead of a Brazilian goal, Pelé saw Spain score again.
When Pelé saw Lin break through a crowd and score Spain's second goal, he stood in stunned silence for almost half a minute.
When it became clear Spain had turned the game around to lead 2-1, Pelé began to sweat.
It's over!
Now I really am a jinx!
Not long ago, he had been happily scrolling through social media, enjoying the praise from fans. Now, his phone felt like it weighed a ton, and his hands trembled, almost unable to hold it.
Online, angry Brazilian fans didn't blame their football legend but instead heavily criticized Brazil's defenders.
Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Marcelo!
The luxurious defensive line Brazil boasted about before the game seemed fragile as paper in this match, crumbling at the slightest touch.
Thinking of their pre-match boast that no one could break this defense, Brazilian fans felt their faces burn with embarrassment.
Of course, admitting their own mistakes was out of the question, so they could only take their frustration out on these players!
When they win, they are praised; when they lose, they are cursed.
This phenomenon is common among football fans worldwide.
Except for one national team that kept losing until their reputation became so bad that their own media turned against them.
...
Bosque sat calmly in the coach's seat, taking a sip of water while watching the game.
He could be sure that Scolari had come up with a specific strategy to counter Spain during the halftime break.
However, Bosque didn't change his team's tactics lightly.
His planned adjustments would come after the 65th minute. For now, Spain would stick to their first-half strategy.
In football, there's a saying: don't change a winning team.
If the team is winning, it means the lineup is effective, and the players have good chemistry on the field.
Making hasty changes could backfire.
Adjustments should only be made after seeing what the opponent does.
Compared to Bosque's calm demeanor, Scolari was much more anxious.
Although Brazil had won the Confederations Cup twice in a row, making this title seem less significant to them, this match was different. It was held at home, and their opponent was the world's top team.
For Brazil, aiming to win the World Cup, this match was a dress rehearsal for the final next year.
Losing this match would be a huge blow to Brazil's morale and confidence.
Scolari had led Brazil to a World Cup victory before, partly because the team was very strong.
With players like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, and Roberto Carlos, Brazil had arguably the strongest lineup in history.
Moreover, the 2002 World Cup had many controversial decisions, and Brazil's biggest competitors, France and Italy, were eliminated early due to poor performances and questionable officiating.
In the final, they faced a Germany team clearly inferior to them.
But next year's World Cup, unless Brazil bribes the referees to eliminate Spain before the final, they will face the defending champions.
This Spanish team is not the weakened German team of that time. Defeating them is very difficult.
Originally, Scolari thought Spain's aging squad couldn't withstand the impact of his young players, but he didn't expect Spain's tactical core to be so young.
Using old strategies against a player not yet eighteen is ridiculous!
In the end, Scolari could only sigh inwardly:
What luck did Spain have to produce such a phenomenal player just as they were about to decline?
With Lin, Spain's peak could last at least another five years!
Only when Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Busquets, and other key players retire, and Spain lacks strong replacements, will their reign end.
But for now, it's far too early!
...
Scolari's adjustments had some effect.
After his halftime changes, Brazil's defense became more solid.
Brazil's players knew Spain's passing was dangerous, so they stopped chasing the ball and stuck to their marks, denying them easy passes.
This way, they could limit Spain's attack by restricting their passing options.
Besides defensive adjustments, Scolari also tweaked their attack.
He instructed the wingers to alternate between crossing and cutting inside.
He also emphasized more teamwork in attack to avoid the isolation seen in the first half.
Neymar, Hulk, and Oscar faithfully executed his plan, frequently swapping positions and using passes and combinations to try and break Spain's defense.
But because they didn't play for the same club, and national team training time was short, their chemistry was lacking.
There were several mistakes in their front-line coordination.
However, these issues were gradually improving.
These three players were very skilled, especially Neymar.
He could not only dribble past defenders and shoot but also make good passes, creating opportunities for teammates.
As he adjusted his play to cooperate more, Brazil's attacking threat clearly increased.
Spain's players noticed this and increased their defensive focus on Neymar.
But Neymar wasn't easy to defend against!
Neymar was very agile, with excellent dribbling, shooting, and overall skills.
He might not have Lin's quick footwork, but his technique and feints were very deceptive, making him successful in one-on-one situations.
Most importantly, like many South American players, Neymar had great creativity. His play was full of imagination!
However, Neymar had one flaw: he held onto the ball too long.
This gave opponents opportunities to foul him.
Spain's players might not be able to take the ball from Neymar, but they could certainly knock him down.
So, in the second half, Neymar was often seen being fouled by Spanish players, leading to falls or rolls on the pitch.
Brazilian fans booed and protested against Spain's rough play whenever Neymar was fouled.
Meanwhile, Lin also faced fouls from Brazilian players when he had the ball.
Both teams knew who the biggest threats were and targeted Lin and Neymar accordingly.
But unlike Neymar, Lin didn't exaggerate his falls or roll on the ground after being fouled.
Even when knocked down, he quickly got up and continued playing without a word of complaint.
In contrast, Neymar's reactions to fouls were often overly dramatic.
This difference made neutral fans side with Lin, feeling less sympathy for Neymar.
"Diving master, this guy has a successor!"
"Neymar should go to Hollywood. Football doesn't deserve his acting talent!"
"No wonder Barcelona likes him. He joins and already has such acting skills. Impressive!"
"Lin is an honest player. If he exaggerated like Neymar, Brazilian defenders would get more yellow cards!"
Neutral fans, who watched to enjoy the game, disliked Neymar's antics. His falls broke the game's flow and reduced its entertainment value.
Despite frequent fouls, Neymar's threat didn't diminish.
In the 58th minute, Neymar had the ball on the wing, quickly drawing two Spanish defenders.
Neymar wasn't strong in physical duels, at least not against the 1.92-meter-tall Martínez.
When surrounded by multiple Spanish defenders, Brazilian fans worried he'd be knocked down again!
Unlike Lin, who could use changes in pace to beat defenders cleanly, Neymar often found creative solutions.
Seeing Martínez approach, Neymar gently pushed the ball left.
When the defender shifted his weight, Neymar quickly pulled the ball back with his foot.
This move was risky and surprising. With his other foot off the ground, Neymar's balance was on the ball, a slip away from a fall.
But Neymar's excellent balance let him complete the move without falling.
The unexpected move caught Martínez off guard, and on the wet grass, he stumbled, losing his position.
Neymar was left with just Monreal!
Arsenal's defender was shocked, focusing entirely on the ball and Neymar's movements, ready to intercept.
But the ball seemed alive under Neymar's feet. He pushed it towards Monreal, lured him to commit, then quickly pulled it back and shifted left.
Monreal tried to follow, only to be deceived by a feint.
Neymar zigzagged, tricking Monreal left, then darting right.
Martínez, back on his feet, prepared to tackle.
Neymar chipped the ball to a teammate in the center and slipped past Martínez like a fish.
Fred received the ball and passed it forward. Neymar, ready to shoot, was tackled by Ramos in the box.
Serves you right for showing off!
With that flashy playstyle, no wonder you got tackled!
Ramos glared at Neymar after the tackle, not even bothering to
help him up.
The crowd erupted!
Brazilian fans, after a moment of shock, booed and demanded a penalty.
The referee quickly showed Ramos a yellow card and awarded Brazil a penalty.
Ramos had indeed fouled Neymar before getting the ball.
Seeing Ramos's attitude after the tackle, many suspected he intended to foul Neymar.
"Sorry, Iker, my bad!"
Calm after the foul, Ramos realized his mistake.
Without the foul, Casillas might have saved the shot.
"No worries. My positioning was off. If he'd shot directly, I wasn't confident in saving it!"
Casillas patted Ramos's shoulder, not blaming him.
Even Casillas felt like kicking Neymar seeing him toy with his teammates.
Neymar's style was flashy but overly individualistic. Opponents saw him as a prime target for fouls.
Fouling Neymar came at a cost.
For this penalty, Neymar decided to take it himself.
Casillas stared at Neymar, avoiding his movements.
Neymar, seemingly nervous, avoided eye contact with Casillas.
He glanced at the right side of the goal, planning to shoot there.
Casillas noticed and prepared to dive right.
With a thud, the ball was slapped away by Casillas.
A Spanish defender quickly cleared it out of bounds!
Casillas stood up and let out a triumphant roar.
You're not skilled enough to beat me!
The Brazilian fans had started celebrating when the penalty was awarded, but as Casillas saved Neymar's shot, the 80,000-strong Maracanã Stadium fell silent.
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