MAZUNGUMZO KATI YA GERARD PIQUE NA NAYMAR KUHUSU KUMBUKUMBU NA MATARAJIO YA KOMBE LA DUNIA.
Grard: How’s Paris, Ney?
Neymar: It’s good, it’s good. A new life, different.
Gerard: OK, great. Well, we are not going to talk about either Paris or Barcelona… We are going to talk about the World Cup. I assume you’re really looking forward to it?
Neymar: Looking forward to playing, looking forward to being there at the World Cup. My last World Cup wasn’t so good for what happened with my back, for everything that happened to me. But, well, it already happened, and now the World Cup is approaching and we have a good team. We’re doing well and I hope we can win one, no?
Gerard: Yeah, I’m hoping we win too.
Neymar: You already won! It’s enough… you won one.
Gerard: That’s true, yes, I can’t complain. Well, we’ll get there. I would like to start from the beginning: What’s the earliest memory you have when talking about the World Cup? For example, for me it's 1994... Tassotti elbowing Luis Enrique - our buddy Enrique - in the quarterfinals, and Spain getting eliminated 2-1 against Italy, and I remember Luis Enrique’s shirt, all wet in blood. That’s my first memory.
Neymar: Yeah, mine is from the ’94, too. But of Brazil. Although, I was two years old, I think my first memory was on the TV, watching on TV and Romario scoring the goals, one goal that he scored against Holland, Bebeto crosses, and it’s a 'golazo'. That’s the first one. And the second is from 2002. I watched the whole tournament and remember everything… Ronaldo…
Gerard: The haircut, no?
Neymar: Yeah… Hahaha! The haircut of Ronaldo was good. I had it.
Gerard: Hahaha! You had that haircut?!
Neymar: Yeah.
Gerard: When was the first time you were called up for the national team? Where were you, what were you doing, how was it?
Neymar: I was… I was finishing up practice. We went to the gym and there was Mano Menezes making his team selection and everyone was watching the TV. I was 17. And there when my name came up, Ganso’s came up - my good friend - and Andre’s. The three of us were always together there at Santos, and Andre was training on the field, playing a game, and when the news was announced, we left running to the field and we grabbed Andre, the three of us celebrating, a lot of people filming…. It was a tremendous joy.
Gerard: Which would you say are your best and worst moments with the national team?
Neymar: The best moment on the national team, I believe, is now. And the worst… The injury has been my worst moment because of the week I went through there - all that. I just cried at home, I would see my mom, my dad, crying - everyone sad, my friends, family… and this, to me, has been the worst moment.
Gerard: How many days did you stay at the hospital? Afterward.
Neymar: No, I stayed for a day at the hospital.
Gerard: So, in other words, you watched the semifinals against Germany at home or…?
Neymar: At home. I went home because, when I got injured, I went to the team camp where my teammates were, took my stuff, saw the doctor and so on, and then went home... It was a very strange thing. I think in 30 games something like this wouldn’t happen. I really don’t know what was going on.
Gerard: I think without you… I think Thiago Silva was suspended too?
Neymar: Yes, Thiago didn’t play. Me and Alves didn’t play, either.
Gerard: I think that the team - or, Thiago and Dani were really good - but what happened to you with the injury, I think people…
Neymar: Yes, they feel bad, too. But I don’t know, it was one of those days that…
Gerard: Everything went wrong.
Neymar: That everything went wrong. And at the same time, everything went right for them. But, well, it’s difficult to talk about this from the outside, because I asked everyone who was on the pitch, and they said, “We don’t know what happened. Nothing worked. We couldn’t do anything. Nothing.”
Gerard: Do you see yourselves as favorites now?
Neymar: I think not only Brazil - all national teams that have strong numbers, that have quality players - are favorites. Like Brazil, Spain, Argentina, France, Germany - these five teams, to me, are favorites.
Gerard: I think you are a slight bit above everyone else. I think us, Germany, Argentina, France are a little bit… we are all at a very similar level. And you - you are a bit above. You have Coutinho, Gabriel Jesus. In the middle, you’re strong with Paulinho, and defensively you are a good team. You’re very complete.
Neymar: Yes, yes. Honestly, we’re well structured. Right, we’ve managed to find our game.
Gerard: Well, in conclusion… right now, would you “sign off” on a final, Spain vs Brazil, 3-3, including a hat trick by you… But we, Spain, win on penalties? Hahaha! Hat trick in the final!
Neymar: Hahaha! No, no, no… gotta win. So no, 3-3, you score a hat trick, we win… Hahaha!
Gerard: Ney, thank you so much. It’s been a pleasure. It’s the first time I do an interview.
Neymar: It’s really good - your calling after football. Hahaha!
Gerard: No, not at all. But I wanted to try it today, that’s all. Anyway, it’s been a pleasure and thank you so much, Ney, sincerely.
Neymar: OK.
Gerard: Great, see you later, Crack.