Ask anyone to name the most skillful players on the planet, and Neymar Jr will inevitably come into the conversation, likely along with several of his Brazil teammates.
The forward, now at Paris Saint Germain and formerly of Barcelona, is often criticised for his flamboyance, with pundits regularly suggesting that some of his skill is βunnecessaryβ or βdisrespectful to his opponentβ.
Nonetheless, he has not allowed that to temper his play style, and still remains one of the most talented players that World Football has ever seen. In a devastating trio with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, he has so far this season racked up 11 goals and 9 assists in 14 Ligue 1 outings, as well as two goals and three assists in five Champions League group stage games.
And the 30-year-old, who once more has the hopes of an entire nation on his shoulders heading into Qatar, has demonstrated that his ability has not decreased with age, as he took on the challenge of controlling a ball dropped from 35 metres in the air, a total of 115 feet off the ground.
Much to the astonishment of his gathered teammates, including the likes of Eder Militao, Raphinha, Richarlison, Antony and Vinicius Jr, he succeeds, sparking widespread celebration.
E o recorde do Dominador Γ© de @neymarjr: 35 metros! #DomingΓ£o pic.twitter.com/CMU7kAkXEI
β DomingΓ£o com Huck (@domingao) November 13, 2022
His talents will be needed as Brazil head to Qatar the tournament favourites ahead of a ball being kicked, with the odds of them winning being offered as low as 4/1 ahead of the tournaments opening game in five days time.