Brazil 4, Panama 0: Neymar shines in Selecao's penultimate tune-up

Tuesday's friendly between Brazil and Panama served as another reminder of just how terrifying the Selecao are with the ball at their feet.

It took 27 minutes for the Brazilians to find their rhythm, but once Neymar opened the scoring, the best of samba futebol was on display at the Estadio Serra Dourada as Brazil doused Panama with attack after attack after attack for a 4-0 victory.

Free-kick golazos. Screamers from the right-back. Back-heel through balls. Nutmegs. Bicycle kicks. Surreal ball movement. It was, essentially, as Brazilian of a performance as one could ask for, and it will serve as a confidence-booster for a squad that's arguably under more pressure to win the World Cup than any side has ever faced.

But while each of Brazil's 17 players to appear in the match showed that they're ready for the tournament, no one stood out quite like Neymar, who once again proved that he's from another planet.

He consistently led Brazil's attacks down the middle of the pitch, carrying the ball 20-to-30 yards at a time before playing it off for an overlapping teammate. If he decided to go one-on-one, the defender's only option was to foul him. He's too quick. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Neymar was directly involved in three of his team's four goals.

Sure, it was Panama. Not exactly your football powerhouse. But Brazil couldn't have looked much better than they did in the second half. And they'll be riding high on confidence heading into their final World Cup tune-up against Serbia on Friday.

The Goals

GOAL! Neymar (BRA), 27th min.

After getting off to a slow start, Neymar finally got Brazil on the board with a free kick reminiscent of his goal against Italy in last year's Confederations Cup.

GOAL! Dani Alves (BRA), 40th min.

The surging right-back has long been a prominent feature of Brazilian football, and Dani Alves showed just why that is with a stunning shot to double Brazil's lead entering the interval.

GOAL! Hulk (BRA), 46th min.

It took Brazil only 45 seconds to score in the second half. And while Hulk's name is the one that will appear on the scoresheet, Neymar deserves most of the credit for setting up the goal with a stunning back-heel through ball.

GOAL! Willian (BRA), 73rd min.

Willian was by no means an obvious candidate to crack Brazil's World Cup roster, but based off his composed finish in the second half, Luiz Felipe Scolari's decision to include him looks like the right one.

Man of the Match

When Brazilian kids are sporting mohawks and wrist tape as they cheer on their country during next week's World Cup opener, it will be because of performances like the one Neymar put on against Panama.

In addition to his outstanding free kick, the 22-year-old was relentless in leading Brazil's attacks down the middle of the pitch, and his through balls to overlapping midfielders and full-backs were as precise as they possibly could have been. On Brazil's third goal, he played a back-heel through ball for Hulk that defied the laws of physics in order to be as perfectly-placed as it was.

Again, Neymar is not from this planet.

The Controversy

Protests have followed Brazil's national team throughout their World Cup preparations, and Tuesday's match was no exception.

Furious at the amount of money being spent on hosting the tournament instead of the countless social and economic issues that plague Brazil, protesters gathered around the hotel where the national team were staying before heading to the Estadio Serra Dourada.

What Did Brazil Do To Win?

In a match where Julio Cesar barely appeared on the television screen, Brazil's ability to create chances quickly and efficiently meant that Panama never stood a chance.

Upon collecting possession, the Selecao didn't waste a minute moving forward, often finding Neymar in the middle to lead a charge towards goal. Their passing would weave through Panama until an opportunity presented itself, and Brazil deserve kudos for their patience in front of goal. Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad know when to have a crack and when one more pass is required.

Brazil was also boosted by the exceptional play of their full-backs in attack. Dani Alves was responsible for the second goal and Maxwell assisted the team's fourth, and along with Marcelo and Maicon, they consistently provided an extra channel for Brazil to attack through. Somewhere, Carlos Alberto and Roberto Carlos are grinning.

The Takeaway

Entering the match, Brazil's 5-0 win over South Africa in March was the only match they had played in 2014. But any concerns over their lack of friendlies going into the World Cup were put to rest on Tuesday.

The Selecao are a side built on familiarity. Scolari's starting 11 has remained consistent for a year now. It's painfully clear that the team has benefited greatly from the consistency as there's a cohesion about Brazil that is impossible not to notice. Regardless of the opposition, the squad clicks.

They've now won eight consecutive matches, scoring 29 goals and allowing two in that span.

Make no mistake about it: Brazil couldn't be more ready for the World Cup.

The Best 1,000 Words

Stray Observations

• If you had to pinpoint a weakness in Brazil's squad, it would be Ramires, who gave the ball away a few times and is unlikely to start over Paulinho at the World Cup.
• On the rare occasion where Panama were pressing, Marcelo comfortably broke down the attack.
• Aside from a yellow card in the opening minutes, David Luiz didn't do that much (not that he needed to).
• Willian was an instant improvement on Ramires upon entering the match.
• Oscar is one of those players who can have a massive impact on a game without making it obvious. His constant movement, particularly when Neymar had the ball, proved to be a handful for Panama's defenders, and it was an excellent pass from the Chelsea youngster that led to Dani Alves' goal.