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‘For me, Neymar would take first, you set the tone’: Jurgen Klinsmann SLAMS Brazil’s bizarre decision to leave ‘their best penalty taker for last’ as they left the World Cup without the star from PSG had the opportunity to score
- Jurgen Klinsmann has criticized Brazil’s decision not to give Neymar the first penalty
- Croatia defeated Brazil 4-2 on penalties with Neymar out of the top four
- Rodrygo and Marquinhos failed and cost the Brazilians a ticket to the quarterfinals
- It was a pain for Neymar that he will not be able to play in the tournament again
Jurgen Klinsmann has criticized Brazil’s decision not to award Neymar the first penalty in the shootout against Croatia.
The South American side were knocked out of the World Cup on Friday night after Croatia defeated them 4-2, with Rodrygo failing to score Brazil’s first penalty kick and Marquinhos hitting the post, causing heartbreak for the South American team. .
But their bizarre tactics, choosing not to use their talisman striker Neymar as their first penalty taker, were criticized by Klinsmann, who claimed the PSG superstar should have “set the tone for his side”. .
Neymar did not take a penalty during Brazil’s loss to Croatia on penalties on Friday night
While Croatia converted all four of their kicks from the penalty mark, Rodrygo and Marquinhos (left) missed
“They had totally different approaches,” Klinsmann told BBC Sport after the match. ‘Previously, you saw your best penalty taker set the tone. ‘For me, Neymar would take first, you set the tone.
“The momentum really changed with that Croatian goal, just before the end of extra time,” Klinsmann continued.
‘What goes through your head if you are a Brazilian player scares you. The whole nation expects you to make it and you panic. You are much more nervous because you don’t have time to balance yourself.’
The German soccer legend’s comments were echoed by Rio Ferdinand, who took to Twitter to express his confusion over the decision to save his best penalty taker for last.
Ferdinand wrote: “Boys in the studio all talking about how your best penalty taker can’t stay for last… he never picks up a pen half the time… Neymar now left thinking what if…”