When the book is closed on the current generation of footballers, no individual player will have generated greater debate than Neymar. Very few who have a modicum of understanding about football would dispute his talent. Yet, in spite of scoring over a hundred goals for three separate clubs and being two goals shy of becoming Brazil's all-time leading scorer, many feel that he doesn't always apply himself fully to the sport.

Many cannot forgive him for not being able to cement his place alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the three greatest players of his generation. Many criticise his theatrics after being fouled, and his penchant for 'diving'. I am not sure which side of the debate I am on or whether I care enough to get into the debate to begin with.

Regardless of what the real and pseudo pundits say, the opposition cannot afford to ignore Neymar when he is on the pitch.

What I am sure about after watching Monday night's game, however, is that, despite protestations from many Selecao fans and detractors to the contrary, Brazil need Neymar back if they are to go the distance in this tournament. Regardless of what the real and pseudo pundits say, the opposition cannot afford to ignore Neymar when he is on the pitch. This allows his teammates to express themselves fully, and Brazil to play a more effective and exciting brand of football.  

I have to admit that I was a little harsh on the African teams for their failure to score in the beginning of the tournament. It is safe to say that any concerns that I may have had on that front have been decisively alleviated by the boys from Morocco, Ghana, and Cameroon. I do hope that one of these teams make a deep run in Qatar. Given the abundance of talent in Africa, it is sad that no team from the continent has ever made it past the quarterfinals in the World Cup.

Meanwhile, the Asian drought threatens to continue. Who would have thought after Iran's four-goal defeat against England that they would be best poised to progress among all the nations from our continent? But here we are. It all hangs on their encounter with the USA -- a fixture made fascinating by an abundance of stories, both on and off the field.