On August 10, 2010, a friendly match between the hosts, the United States, and Brazil will take place in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Verdeoro will win without particular worries, with the 2-0 goal that will be scored by Alexandre Pato, at the time a player of Milan and a rising star of Italian football. Not the most shining on the field, however, because for the first time, with the Seleçao jersey, Neymar Jr. makes his debut. Eighteen-year-old from Santos, already unanimously considered as the closest to taking on Pelè’s legacy, after several champions grew up in Vila Belmiro, the last of which – before Neymar, precisely – was another Milan player, namely Robinho.
It is the national team’s first outing after the disappointing 2010 World Cup.with the quarter-final against Holland costing Dunga his job. The new coach, Mano Menezes, wants to try a different formation also in view of the Copa America of the following season. Neymar scores in half an hour, taking the spotlight and the covers. Not with the house specialty, but with a header on a perfect cross signed by the full-back Andrè Santos.
It was his first appearance in 128 so far, with his first goal in 79 total. Neymar has never managed to win the World Cup, despite having presented himself as the host in 2014, ready to lift the sixth World Cup. In the quarterfinals against Colombia he went out badly due to a bad foul by Zuniga, missing the 1-7 suffered in the Mineirazo in Belo Horizonte.