PAV: After the Brazilians got drubbed by Germany, I wondered two things: Did the Brazilians get paid a lot of money to lose at home? Or were they just worn out and concerned about injury after the back injury teammate Neymar suffered? I find it hard to believe the Brazilians could have been paid the kind of money it would take to convince an athlete already making millions of dollars a year to lose for their mother country. That idea quickly disappeared.
The one that stuck, though, was the Brazilians' possible concern for ending up like Neymar. The Brazil and Barcelona star will likely have a full recovery from his back injury and will sign a huge contract with his current club or another willing to give him max money. But what if he doesn't recover? If he hypothetically got permanently injured in a World Cup game, he may never play at a high level or sign a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract again. Were his teammates thinking about this possibility during the Germany game. The defense was certainly distracted. If not complacent. I'm trying to come up with a reason a team with so much international talent would play so poorly. Were the absences of Neymar and Thiago too much for the Brazilians to make up for? Or were they concerned about a financial future? My wife argues its hard to turn off that competitive nature, especially in a high stakes environment like a World Cup Semi-Final. What if millions of dollars are on the line?
ZBU: Looking back on this idea a couple of weeks removed now, I think Germany was ultimately just the best team in the tournament and Brazil was aided by easier match-ups early on. The Brazilians hadn't lost a game on home soil since 1975 and it was incredible that this streak came to such a shocking end, but let's face it... this was not the Brazil of many years past. This is why you would have thought Neymar died the way his team and country were lamenting his injury and subsequent absence from the rest of the tournament. They knew his magic was all they really had and their dreams of winning a World Cup were crushed with Neymar's back.
To address your other question, I would agree with your wife. I think you really can't turn off that competitive nature even if millions of dollars are on the line and especially when the passion of playing for your country is involved. Patriotism is a strong motivator and causes grown men to cry over losing a game. I guess everybody has their price but I like to think those who represent their country are immune to thinking of their own interests if only for a month.
