Brazil’s bitter 4-1 defeat to Argentina in the March CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers has sent shockwaves through the soccer world, with former Seleção star Felipe Melo emerging as one of the most vocal critics. The ex-Juventus and Inter midfielder did not hold back in his assessment, blasting the national team’s lack of fight while also defending Neymar’s importance, claiming Brazil cannot succeed without their No. 10—even if he is only half-fit.
The humiliating defeat at El Monumental saw Argentina cruise past their arch-rivals, inflicting Brazil’s heaviest-ever loss in World Cup qualifying history. Julian Alvarez’s early goal set the tone, and despite a brief glimmer of hope for the visitors, La Albiceleste’s dominance was overwhelming. The defeat has intensified pressure on head coach Dorival Junior, who is struggling to find consistency with a squad missing key players, including Neymar.
In fact, the nation’s struggles without their talisman have been well-documented, and the numbers from recent years paint a concerning picture of just how dependent the Seleção remains on their injured star.
Since Neymar’s international debut in 2010, Brazil has played 64 matches without him, winning only 54.7% of those games and losing 20.3%—one in every five matches. However, with Neymar on the pitch, the team’s win rate soars to nearly 72%, while their loss percentage drops to just 9.4%.
The impact is even more pronounced in World Cup qualifiers. In the 28 qualifiers Neymar has played, his side has suffered just one defeat. Without him, their record takes a hit: in 21 qualifiers without the Santos star, they have lost five times, drawn five, and won 11.
What did Felipe Melo say about Neymar and Brazil’s struggles?
Speaking on his Instagram live stream, Felipe Melo could not hide his frustration, both at Brazil’s poor first-half display and what he perceives as an unjustified dismissal of Neymar’s influence.
“I’m going to block anyone who says they don’t need Neymar. Neymar with only one leg is the 10 for the Seleção,“ the 41-year-old ranted. “They said a lot before the game, and Argentina made it to the final. Brazil didn’t. 3-1 wasn’t enough. If you change your attitude, you can draw, but you have to change your attitude.”
The former Brazil international, who was capped 22 times, also criticized the team’s overall mindset, arguing that their lack of fight was as much to blame for the result as their tactical shortcomings.
“A lousy first half for the national team. Thank God we scored a goal. Now we really have to wait for the coach to change something. It has to change, 3-1… I’ll talk to you… I believe until the end. The first half ended, and Brazil wanted to fight. Brazil, which fights among themselves, has to go to the locker room and start fighting, for the good of the national team.”
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