Brazil must end its overreliance on Neymar to rediscover World Cup success

Between 1994 and 2002, Brazil reached the World Cup final three times in a row, winning twice. After nearly a quarter-century in the shadows, it became world football's golden team again, boasting the likes of the famed three Rs of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho, who lit up the world in Japan and South Korea 16 years ago.

How the nation must be longing for a return to those days.

For the second consecutive World Cup, the Selecao's tournament has been ended by the kind of defeat that will leave the nation shellshocked.

Belgium's two first-half goals in Kazan consigned Brazil to another early exit, despite Renato Augusto's late header. Friday's defeat ensured this will be Brazil's third quarter-final exit in four attempts - the odd one out of those tournaments ended in the infamous 7-1 demolition at the hands of Germany in a 2014 semi-final on home soil.

For all the talk of avenging that catastrophe, Brazil has been dumped from international football's most prestigious event a round earlier, and the national inquest will now begin. One could fairly point to the absence of Casemiro as a crucial factor this time around, which left Brazil bereft of the presence needed at the base of midfield. Indeed, perhaps the greatest credit to the Real Madrid midfielder is how much worse both his club and country seem to play when he is not in the side.

Perhaps the biggest problem, though, lies with the country's biggest star. Neymar is pegged to be the heir to the three Rs, the phenomenon who drags Brazil back to the world's summit. Instead, this World Cup has seen a renewed focus on his mastery of the dark arts.

Of course, no one would suggest that Neymar is the only footballer who dives. But in terms of weighing up a star's footballing brilliance against his propensity to hit the turf instead of taking the game to opposing defenders, he is perhaps unrivalled at present. A study carried out before the quarter-finals began found he had spent a total of almost 14 minutes on the ground across four games.

Related: Neymar's even taking dives on the training pitch now

Neymar himself has argued criticism from opponents over his tumbles are merely attempts to "undermine" him, but in truth, he has done that to himself this tournament. While players like Philippe Coutinho, who scored or assisted on exactly half of his country's goals at this tournament, have taken their tasks by the scruff of the neck, the PSG star has mixed occasional explosive bursts of talent with too much underwhelming play, too many fancy flicks that have had too little impact.

It would be too great a stretch to label Brazil a one-man team. Even aside from the fact Coutinho often outshone Neymar in Russia, there have been myriad positives: Douglas Costa has made a strong case to become a key starter, Casemiro has been generally superb, and there have been plenty of signs that this side is strong enough to genuinely challenge for world glory.

It's also clear why Neymar has been Brazil's poster boy in recent years. Already third on the country's all-time scoring list with 57 goals - above Romario but still behind Ronaldo - at age 26, it is entirely possible he may one day beat Pele's record mark of 77. Possibly the biggest sign of the vast weight of expectation resting on his shoulders is that he was almost certainly below full fitness throughout this tournament and yet was still burdened with leading the charge.

But, the way things are going, his Brazil career is going to span one of the national side's longest inauspicious spells at the World Cup. For that to change anytime soon, Brazil needs to readjust its focus and put an end to its overreliance on Neymar. After all, he's just one man.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)