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The world’s most expensive player has been the subject of consistent speculation linking him with a move away from France, with reports usually suggesting he will sign for Real Madrid, but he insists that he’s not done with PSG yet.

“Yes, I will stay in Paris. I have a contract with PSG. The speculation? The majority of it is invented by the press,” Neymar told ESPN Brasil last month.

“I have a contract and people know the objective, the reason why I went to PSG. I want to win with this club and I hope this season will be wonderful.”

Neymar returned in time for the World Cup, but failed to inspire Brazil to a record-extending sixth title as they suffered a 2-1 quarter-final loss to Belgium.

Mbappe, on the other hand, was named as the tournament’s best young player after scoring four goals — including two in a scintillating individual performance against Argentina — to help France lift the trophy.

The 19-year-old capped it off by becoming only the second teenager in history after Pele to score in a World Cup final, netting in the 4-2 victory over Croatia in Moscow.

The transfer fee of 180 million euros which PSG paid Monaco for Mbappe is not far behind the world-record 222 million euros they parted with for Neymar.

– Mbappe can ‘mark history of football’ –

“These words are not insignificant because Barzagli, when he is focused and fit, is really a top defender.

“It’s obvious (Mbappe) has something more than others. I hope he will remain humble and keep this desire to progress and make sacrifices.

“If so, he will make a mark in the history of football and write incredible pages of the sport.”

Further accolades seem sure to follow in the coming years for Mbappe, who was named on the 10-man shortlist for FIFA’s ‘Best Player’ award for 2018, with Neymar conspicuous in his absence.

But the 25-year-old Neymar, despite criticisms over his playacting at the World Cup, did perform on the pitch last season, scoring 28 goals in 31 appearances for PSG before breaking a bone in his foot against Marseille in February.

Neymar will likely want the spotlight, but his best chance of leading PSG to their stated goal of a first Champions League title will be to replicate his famous combination with Messi and Luis Suarez at Barcelona with Mbappe and Edinson Cavani.

Despite a domestic treble last season, that never really came to fruition, as Mbappe took time to settle in and Cavani and Neymar rowed over penalties.

But new coach Thomas Tuchel said when he took over from Unai Emery in May that he was “not afraid at all of stars”, adding that “in his experience they are the hardest workers”.

A second straight league title should be little more than a formality, but PSG will need their big guns on the same page and firing if they’re to finally lift the European crown.

Ligue 1 fixtures

Friday

Marseille v Toulouse (1845)

Saturday

Nantes v Monaco (1500), Angers v Nimes, Lille v Rennes, Montpellier v Dijon, Nice v Reims, Saint-Etienne v Guingamp (1800)

Sunday

Lyon v Amiens (1300), Bordeaux v Strasbourg (1500), Paris Saint-Germain v Caen (1900)

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But Neymar’s sparkling performance was tarnished by yet another example of his tendency to overreact to seemingly innocuous challenges.

The latest chapter in a bulging catalogue of histrionic behaviour came in the second half, when Mexico midfielder Miguel Layun appeared to step on his ankle as he lay prone.

Neymar writhed around and convulsed as if he had received an electric shock.

“I think it’s a shame for football,” Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio lamented afterwards, saying Neymar’s antics had wasted precious time.

“We wasted a lot of time because of one single player … we lost our style in the second half, because of the referee.

“This is a very bad example for the world and the world of football.”

– ‘Absolutely pathetic’ –

As social media platforms exploded with fans angrily accusing Neymar of cheating, former England striker Alan Shearer described the Paris Saint-Germain star as “absolutely pathetic.”

Yet Neymar shrugged off the criticism after his man-of-the-match performance, claiming it was motivated to “undermine me.”

“I don’t care much for criticism, or praise, because this can influence your attitude,” he said.

“In the last two matches I didn’t talk to the press because I don’t want to. I just have to play, help my teammates, help my team.”

Brazil defender Thiago Silva meanwhile heaped praise on Neymar, who only returned to playing shortly before the tournament following an injury layoff of more than three months.

“It’s magnificent how he’s playing, especially after three and a half months on the sidelines,” PSG teammate Silva said. “It’s very difficult to come back the way he’s done.”

Against Mexico, Neymar burst into life after Brazil weathered early pressure from opponents determined to end a 32-year wait to reach the quarter-finals.

The 26-year-old talisman struck the opening goal on 51 minutes to Brazil 1-0 up.

The Brazil talisman drew several defenders as he ran across the edge of the area with the ball at his feet, before passing to Willian and continuing his run into the box.

The result was settled when Layun lost possession in the dying minutes. Neymar went on a counter-attack that drew Ochoa from his goal before finding Roberto Firmino with the finest of touches from the outside of his right boot.

With only two goals, Neymar is lagging well behind England star Harry Kane’s tournament-leading tally of five goals.

But Silva is hoping Neymar emulates the recent feats of other Paris Saint-Germain clubmates Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe on his way to taking Brazil further.

“It’s true, I said this before this match,” added Silva. “I hope he listens to me in the quarter-finals.”

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Neymar, who had a penalty award ruled out by referee Bjorn Kuipers after he consulted the Video Assistant Referee, volleyed in the second goal seven minutes into injury time. It was the latest strike in World Cup history.

The world’s most expensive player slumped to his knees in tears at the end and later posted a message on Twitter and Instagram hitting back at criticism of his emotional reaction.

“Not everyone knows what I went through to get here. Even parrots can talk, but walking the walk… not everyone does it. I cried out of happiness, overcoming, grit and desire to win,” Neymar said.

It was only Neymar’s fourth competitive match since breaking a bone playing for Paris Saint-Germain in February.

– Argentina group finely poised –

Adding to the acrimony, several Spanish media outlets reported on an audio recording of former Argentina international Diego Simeone in which he lambasts the “anarchy” in the team and says he would choose Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo over Messi, if he had the choice.

“Messi is very good, but it is clear that he is very good because he is surrounded by extraordinary players (at Barcelona),” said Simeone, who now manages Atletico Madrid.

“The question I ask is ‘if you have to choose between Messi and Ronaldo in a normal team, who would you choose?'”

That sets up a showdown between Nigeria and Argentina in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday. If Argentina win they still have a chance of finishing second behind the already-qualified Croatia and reaching the knockout stage.

– Political overtones –

Both Shaqiri and Xhaka celebrated their goals by hooking their thumbs and hands together in a ‘double-eagle’ celebration, a gesture representing Kosovo’s flag.

“You can see what I did, it was just emotion,” he said.

A win in Kaliningrad would have guaranteed Serbia a place in the knockout stage for the first time since becoming an independent nation, regardless of their result against Brazil in the last group game.

Aleksandar Mitrovic gave Serbia the perfect start after five minutes, but the Swiss gradually worked their work back into the game in rainy Kaliningrad.

The Swiss now face Costa Rica on Wednesday when a draw would be enough to send them into the knockout stage. Serbia face a more daunting challenge against Brazil.

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The Paris Saint-Germain striker’s participation at the finals in Russia had been cast into doubt after he suffered a fractured right foot in late February.

However the 26-year-old forward has shown little signs of rust since returning for Brazil, scoring in consecutive friendlies on the eve of the finals.

That could spell trouble for Switzerland as they take on Brazil in Group E on Sunday.

Brazil coach Tite, who masterminded a dominant qualifying campaign which saw the “Selecao” finish 10 points clear of their rivals, said Neymar was “not 100 percent”.

“But he has exceptional physical qualities, his speed in particular. In any case, he is in a suitable state to play,” Tite said.

Neymar is the focal point of one of the most menacing attacks in the tournament, and could line up in a front four which includes Gabriel Jesus, Philippe Coutinho and Willian.

Switzerland meanwhile have regularly shown they are capable of punching above their weight, having only narrowly missed out on automatic qualification to Russia on goal difference behind Portugal.

Since securing their place via the playoffs, they have held Spain to a 1-1 draw and thrashed World Cup debutants Panama 6-0 in friendlies.

The Swiss also have pedigree in opening World Cup games, beating eventual champions Spain in their opener of the 2010 World Cup.

Brazil meet Switzerland in the newly-built 45,000 Rostov Arena in Sunday’s evening game but before that Germany play Mexico in a mouth-watering tie in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.

– Chasing history –

Germany breezed through qualifying scoring 43 goals and conceding just four and, astonishingly, average almost four goals a game in their opening World Cup matches since last losing their first tournament game in 1982 against Algeria.

Mexico though only lost one game in qualifying and have always qualified for at least the second round of every World Cup they have played. They have not beaten Germany though in three attempts at various World cups.

Germany are attempting to become only the third side in the World Cup’s 88-year history to successfully defend their title, after Italy (1934-1938) and Brazil (1958-1962).

The magnitude of that task is not lost on Loew.

“It’s the most difficult feat and history has demonstrated that, no one in 60 years has done it,” Loew said on Saturday.

“Teams develop and change, players finish their careers and you must bring in new players which makes it the most difficult achievement.”

Sunday’s first game sees the 2014 World Cup’s most surprising team Costa Rica take on Serbia in Samara.

The Central Americans topped a group including Uruguay, Italy and England last time to reach the quarter-finals, and this time are in Brazil’s group.

Their pedigree may be good but their form is not and they have lost to Belgium and England in the run-up to Russia.

For Serbia, this year’s tournament marks their first World Cup appearance since 2010 and are in good spirits having warmed up with a 5-1 win over Bolivia.

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Brazilian superstar Neymar will undergo surgery on his fractured foot in Brazil as early as Thursday, ruling the world’s most expensive footballer out of Paris Saint-Germain’s do-or-die Champions League clash with Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old suffered a hairline fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot as well as a twisted ankle late in PSG’s 3-0 win over Marseille in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

PSG said Wednesday that Rodrigo Lasmar, the surgeon with the Brazilian national squad, will carry out the operation with several Brazilian media outlets reporting that the surgery would take place as early as Thursday.

Radio Tupi said Neymar, his father and surgeon Lasmar left Paris Wednesday night for Belo Horizonte’s Mater Dei Hospital where the operation is set for Thursday according to O Globo newspaper, one of Brazil’s leading dailies.

Website UoL also reported the surgery would take place in the southeastern Brazil city but said it was scheduled for Sunday.

On Tuesday, the Brazilian’s father had claimed the player would be out for “at least six weeks”.

Speaking to ESPN in Brazil before PSG’s announcement, Neymar Senior said: “PSG know that they will not be able to count on Neymar for the upcoming matches. His treatment will last six to eight weeks, whether there is an operation or not.”

PSG coach Unai Emery had said earlier that “no decision” had been taken on whether Neymar would require surgery and that there remained a “small chance” of getting him back in time to face Real next Tuesday, March 6.

PSG lost 3-1 in the first leg in Spain two weeks ago and are in danger of being knocked out of the competition in the last 16 for the second season running.

Neymar appeared to be in tears as he was stretchered off the field at the Parc des Princes on Sunday.

Brazilian newspaper Globo Esporte claimed the former Barcelona player would be sidelined until May while, if his father’s estimate was correct, Neymar would not return before the semi-final stage of the Champions League in late April.

– World Cup fears –

However, Neymar should be fit to play for Brazil at the World Cup in Russia in June and July.

In the meantime, PSG had to do without Neymar for Wednesday’s French Cup quarter-final at home to Marseille, the second meeting of the clubs in four days.

Argentine star Angel Di Maria replaced the Brazilian at the Parc des Princesand scored twice in a 3-0 win as PSG stayed on course to win the French Cup for the fourth season in a row.

But Emery was then confronted with another injury worry when striker Kylian Mbappe picked up an ankle injury in the game.

“Kylian Mbappe injured his ankle. He asked not to play the second half. I hope that it’s not too serious,” said Emery.

Neymar has scored 28 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions for PSG since his 222 million-euro ($264 million) move from Barcelona last August.

Meanwhile, in Brazil, Neymar’s foot injury has unleashed sharp emotions and concern, rumours and speculation about the player upon whom so many hopes rest for World Cup victory.

“We just might have lost the World Cup last Sunday,” one radio commentator, Milton Neves of Bandnews FM, said early Wednesday.

Brazilians care little about the impact on PSG. Their attention is entirely trained on the World Cup, where they have ambitions of walking away with a sixth championship.

Images of Sunday’s fateful duel between Neymar and Marseille player Bouna Sarr were being shown incessantly on TV, often in slo-mo, before he was stretchered off.

Newspapers featured close-up illustrations detailing Neymar’s foot and ankle.

“I don’t think we can really talk about fears of him not being at the World Cup. But there is a noticeable haste to find a solution so that Neymar will have recovered in time,” an ESPN Brasil sports commentator, Mauro Cezar Pereira, told AFP.

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