Published: 4 July, 2013
by STEVE BARNETT

IT was the footballing fixture that the world wanted to see. Brazil hosting Spain in front of a vibrant and passionate Rio de Janeiro crowd.

The perfect pedestal on which to place the beautiful game, and, when the final whistle sounded, a chance to leave all of us wanting to press fast-forward on our Sky Plus remotes to next summer’s World Cup.

It takes more than just home support and a reputation to humble a side as good as Spain. It takes skill. It takes vision. It takes belief and confidence in the ability hidden away in an often far too colourful football boot.

At times the Brazilians showed all of these qualities and more as they danced and swayed their way past the World and European champions in a display worthy of a Nike advert.

But as I reflected on the game afterwards, while I was waiting for the crowds to disperse from my Sofa Stadium, I realised that it was the cynic in me that was cheering loudest of all.

My lasting memory wasn’t the step-overs, the clever flicks and tricks and the art of leaving a defender reeling with a swirling move that a contortionist would be proud of. It was the diving and the play-acting, two features of the game that make us shrug our shoulders and pull that face that portrays a look of, “Well, that’s just the way the modern game is.”

Lets take Neymar, for example, if only because he was the player singled out as a diver by Uruguay captain Diego Lugano. The Samba star was named player of the tournament after lighting up the Confederations Cup with his goals and attacking flair. He’s a player with considerable talent who, having swapped Santos for Barcelona, will no doubt capture a whole new fanbase this season.

So why is it that, with the world quite literally at his feet, he feels the need to dive and roll around the pitch as if he’d been struck by a stray clearance from Ashley Williams. (Yes, that’s old news, but let’s not laugh, readers, the Swansea skipper could have killed Robin van Persie, remember!)

What we know for sure is that when Neymar hangs up his boots at the end of what will no doubt be a glittering career, his trophy cabinet won’t be boasting an Oscar, unless of course he holds on to a signed shirt from his international team-mate.

Without any or little physical contact Neymar will take to the turf and put in a wooden acting performance that Keanu Reeves would be proud of.

But it’s not just the diving, it’s the acting that follows. With 68 minutes on the clock in the game against Spain, which I’m sure you all know by now Brazil won 3-0, Neymar was clattered by Gerard Pique.

It was a foul, it was a red card and the defender was rightfully given his marching orders.

But watch it back and ask yourself if Neymar’s response was a genuine one.

Did you believe he was as hurt as the number of rolls he put in suggested?

Now imagine that you are new Barcelona team-mate Pique and how you’d feel when you report for pre-season training.

I don’t expect there to be a big campaign to crack down on players who deliberately try to con the referee, or fain injury.

I don’t expect players to be shown replays of their antics and asked to justify themselves, although it would be a good idea.

But maybe we can start netting a few small victories, such as not putting their names on the back of our shirts, not naming our children after them and not turning a blind eye just because they happen to wear our team’s colours.