Rio de Janeiro July 9 (IANS) Neymar has urged his Brazil teammates to bury the harrowing memory of the last FIFA World Cup and write a new chapter in the country s storied football history in Russia next year.
Saddled with the pressure of hosting their first World Cup in 64 years Brazil s hopes of winning a fairytale sixth title in 2014 collapsed spectacularly with a 7-1 semifinal defeat to Germany. Speaking to the media after participating in a five-a-side match in Brazil on Saturday Neymar admitted the scars of the loss in Belo Horizonte are yet to heal Xinhua news agency reported. "We can t erase what happened. It s in the history books " the Barcelona forward said. "But people always remember it as if it were the only thing that ever happened (to Brazilian football). Let s start talking about our victories and other positive things. "The upcoming season promises a lot and I hope that it s the best one of my life. My dream of winning the World Cup could be just around the corner." Brazil who secured a World Cup berth in March currently holds a nine-point lead over second-placed Colombia at the top of the South American zone qualifying standings. The 2018 World Cup will be played in 11 Russian cities from June 14 to July 15. --IANS pgh/
