Brazil legend Cafu believes the national team damaged its own World Cup hopes by placing too much responsibility on Neymar for more than a decade.
Neymar has been the face of Brazilian football since making his international debut in 2010. But Cafu feels the country relied too heavily on him to solve every problem, rather than building a strong enough supporting cast around him.
Speaking to ESPN, the former Brazil captain said he had discussed the issue with Roberto Carlos.
“I spoke to Roberto Carlos and said: ‘What a shame that this boy is alone,’” Cafu said. “He spent 15 years with the obligation to do everything, and doing it alone is no use. When you talk about the national team, you have to share the responsibilities.”
Cafu knows what a successful Brazil team looks like. He captained the Selecao to World Cup glory in 2002, when the squad included Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho in attack. That team had several match-winners, meaning the pressure did not fall on just one player.
“In 2002 we didn’t repeat the best player on the pitch even once,” Cafu explained. “If Neymar had the support we had in 2002, he wouldn’t need to be the best on the pitch every time. Unfortunately, we have had Neymar alone for a long time and we threw everything on top of him.”
Neymar has played at three World Cups, reaching the semi-finals in 2014 and the quarter-finals in 2018 and 2022. Despite his individual brilliance, Brazil have not lifted the trophy since 2002.
Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, Cafu believes Brazil must spread responsibility across the squad, especially when it comes to leadership.
He named Casemiro and Marquinhos as the players best suited to guide the team.
“I see Casemiro and Marquinhos as good leaders, the way they position themselves on the pitch, how they talk to the referee, the way they talk to the players,” Cafu said. “I see these two as the two great leaders of the Brazilian national team today.”
For Cafu, the message is clear. Brazil cannot expect one player to carry an entire nation. If the Selecao want to end their long wait for a sixth World Cup title, they need a team built on shared responsibility, not another generation dependent on Neymar alone.
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