Brazil feel the pressure ahead of Colombia challenge

The quarter-final showdown between Brazil and Colombia in Fortaleza promises the clash of two of the most exciting young number 10s in the tournament: Neymar and James Rodríguez. But the match may well be a test of nerve as much as it is of skill.

In particular, the burden on this group of Brazilian players to win the World Cup on home soil is immense – as evidenced by the seismic force of a stadium full of Brazilians roaring the national anthem a cappella. Before the penalty shootout in the previous round against Chile, the goalkeeper Júlio Cesar, along with Neymar and the iconic center-back David Luiz were in tears. The captain Thiago Silva asked not to have to take a spot-kick and sat apart from his teammates on the edge of the pitch unable to watch.

A number of commentators in Brazil, including former greats such as Careca and Cafu, have suggested that this lachrymose display was a sign of mental fragility. This fuelled a persistent line of questioning at the pre-match press conference featuring Silva and the coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Eventually, the exasperated Brazil coach told his inquisitors to “go to hell” if they didn’t like the job he was doing. It wasn’t the most reassuring display of calm preparedness imaginable.

Scolari has, though, called on the services of a psychologist to help the players in the buildup to a match in which defeat is unthinkable.

History points to only one winner. Brazil, one of the traditional giants of South America, has won the World Cup a record five times. Colombia’s only major honor is one Copa América, and that was the 2001 edition of the continental championship staged on home soil. Nevertheless this is widely seen as the greatest generation of players since the vintage whose high hopes came crashing down at USA 94.

The star of that team, Carlos Valderrama, was known as “El Pibe” (The Kid) and the status of the current team’s star, Rodríguez, is signaled by his nickname of “El Nuevo Pibe”. Such is the skill, assurance and charisma of the 22-year-old, that it is a nickname he seems destined to outgrow swiftly – probably before the end of this tournament.

The Monaco playmaker has taken up the goalscoring mantle of the absent Radamel Falcao, notching five in his four games so far. In addition, Colombia have the livewire winger Juan Fernando Cuadrado who will be licking his lips at the prospect of running at Brazil’s full-backs. The defense is marshaled by 38-year-old Mario Yepes, a loyal servant to his country relishing the opportunity finally to play at a World Cup. And in the Argentinian José Pékerman Colombia have, like Brazil, one of the most experienced coaches in the competition. Altogether they have been one of pleasant surprises of Brazil 2014 and many neutrals will want them to succeed.

The heat and humidity of Fortaleza in the north-east visibly told on the Dutch side in their narrow win over Mexico last Sunday but conditions in the stadium should not trouble the Colombians who routinely play home games in the steamy Caribbean port of Barranquilla. Both Brazil’s matches against Latin American opposition at this World Cup – Mexico and Chile – have ended in draws (although Jorge Sampaoli’s Chilean side were overcome on penalties).

A key issue for Scolari will be how to cope in the absence of the suspended Luis Gustavo. The defensive midfielder, who plays his club football for Wolfsburg, is the opposite of eye-catching but Scolari has identified the 26-year-old as a key man in his system. The coach has shown loyalty – some would say obstinate loyalty – to his core group of players and his instinct will be to keep changes to a minimum. It is likely that Paulinho, as disappointing in Brazil’s first three matches as he was at Tottenham this season, will return alongside, or just ahead of, Fernandinho in central midfield. Gustavo’s absence may force David Luiz into offering more defensive cover and thus inhibit his ability to be a creative force from the back. The only other rumored change is the possible replacement of Dani Alves by Maicon as a more defensive option at right-back

That means much of the responsibility for providing the game-changing spark will continue to fall to Neymar, like Rodríguez, a precociously gifted 22-year-old. So far he has contributed four of his country’s eight goals. His tears against Chile speak of the strain on his young shoulders but he, like the rest of the squad, also knows that three more victories – however they are achieved – and they will have written their names into history.