FIFA World Cup : Neymar in “excellent” shape, says Brazil teammate Marquinhos

Turin (Italy) : Brazil star Neymar Jr. is in peak physical condition as he bids to lead Brazil to a sixth FIFA World Cup title in Qatar, the forward’s Paris Saint-Germain teammate Marquinhos said on Thursday.

Brazil will begin the tournament against Serbia on November 24 before also facing Switzerland and Cameroon in Group G.”The attention and pressure are inevitable, it’s always been like that since he arrived in the national team (in 2010),” Marquinhos said during a break in Brazil’s pre-World Cup training camp in Turin.”

He knows how to deal with it. We all do. We know the importance and the pressure involved with playing in the World Cup. This has to motivate us and drive us to be better prepared to get the best possible result. Neymar… is in excellent physical shape.

I know how focused he is and the effort he has made to be fully prepared.”Neymar has been in impressive form for PSG, having scored 15 goals and provided 12 assists in 19 games for the French club this season.

The 30-year-old has netted 75 times in 121 outings for his country and is poised to break Pele’s all-time Brazil record of 77 goals in this tournament.