The Brazil international appeared ready to challenge for the prestigious individual award but, like Luis Suarez last year, now looks likely to miss out on the podium
Jun 21, 2015 09:00:00
By Stefan Coerts in Santiago

After an impressive season with Barcelona, Neymar will have fancied his chances of making the podium for the 2015 Fifa Ballon d'Or. Perhaps he was even dreaming of dethroning Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player in the world.

Over the past seven years, Lionel Messi and the Real Madrid man have been the only two players to win the prestigious individual award, with the Argentine lifting the individual trophy on four occasions between 2008 and 2014 and the Portugal star emerging victorious three times in that period - two of which have come in the last two years.

Neymar seemed a legitimate potential candidate to end that duopoly.

The Brazil star had to settle for seventh spot in 2014, yet his contribution to Barcelona's treble win this term made him one of a limited number of contenders to win the award this time around.

Indeed, his agent Wagner Ribeiro was adamant earlier this month that he has every chance of being crowned the globe's best within the next two years.



"This year Neymar will feature among the three best players in the world," the attacker's representative said.

"The award will then come naturally after that, perhaps this year or in 2016."

The Copa America appeared to be the perfect stage to set himself apart from Messi. His Barcelona team-mate remains the standout candidate for the 2015 Ballon d'Or but success at international level would have given Neymar's chances a huge boost.

Rather than do himself a favour in the race, however, the ex-Santos star has effectively ended his own chances.

He made a fine start to the tournament with a man-of-the-match performance versus Peru but, ultimately, his Copa America will only be remembered for his red card and subsequent hissy fit against Colombia.

"Neymar has matured and grown as an athlete since his move Europe," claimed Wagner Ribeiro before the tournament. Events in Santiago proved him wrong.

There is no denying that he was targeted by Colombia defenders and roughed up right from the start. Jose Pekerman's men were out to provoke their opponents' star player - and did just that in the end. Colombia's actions did not justify Neymar's reaction, though.

Skilled players deserve to be protected by referees but at no point did Colombia cross the line. Neymar got the treatment Messi and Ronaldo get on a weekly basis. The Argentine and Portuguese have learned to live with it. The Brazilian, not so much - and he will have to pay the price for his petulance.



Neymar's Ballon d'Or chances have disappeared following his Colombia madness. He needed Brazil to win the Copa and he needed to be their main man if he was to have a realistic chance. That ship has sailed following his four-game ban.

More so, however, Fifa has shown in the past that it does not take lightly to players bringing the game into disrepute. Luis Suarez did just that in 2014 when he bit Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup and was consequently omitted from the 23-man shortlist compiled by the members of Fifa's Football Committee and a panel of experts from France Football, irrespective of his stunning performances for Liverpool the preceding season.

Neymar could await a similar fate.

His red card in itself will not keep him off the shortlist but his behaviour in the tunnel after the incident could have severe consequences. The forward not only verbally assaulted referee Enrique Osses, but also attempted to lash out at the Chilean, only to be ushered away by Copa America officials. That could – and perhaps even should – mean trouble, just as it did for Suarez.

Just four days ago, the Brazilian was among the favourites to land the Ballon d'Or, even if Messi's bid to wrestle it back from Ronaldo seem unstoppable. One moment of madness later, he seems to have blown his chances altogether.

The decisions of our today are the architects of our tomorrow.

Good luck to him if / when he decides to grow up.

d boy nids to grow up

His level of Talent is equal to his Immaturity/In-discipline.

Rankine:
d boy nids to grow up

wetin happen 4 d match sef?? i no watch am. Abeg gist me small