Tim Vickery

But I think that the hope from Ancelotti is, it's not all about him anymore.

No, it's Vinny's team now.

It's Vinny Junior's team.

But the hope is, I think, towards the end of the World Cup, as people tire, as they will cumulatively with exposure to the extreme heat in which some of this competition will be played, that Neymar, even not operating anywhere near 100%,

will have enough just to tip the balance.

The phrase right up until Qatar that was used about him is that Neymar is both bow and arrow.

I don't think he can be the arrow anymore, but he can be the bow.

He can be the man maybe to slip passes through for the likes of Vini and Hafinha.

But it's an act of faith that Ancelotti is taking.

And since the squad now is 26, if it was 23, I don't know if...

this gamble would have been seen as worthwhile.

But with 26 in the squad, I think Ancelotti thinks, well, yeah, maybe we can get something out of this.

And all right, it's a circus.

You bring Neymar in, it's a circus.

But Ancelotti is clearly saying, clearly, I can cope with all of this.

Seen it, been it, you know, done it all.

This isn't too much for me.

I can be the ringmaster.

I can control all of this.

Bring it on.