Tim Vickery believes the September international games will be Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino’s final chance to force his way into the Brazil squad for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
September break is ‘final chance’ for Liverpool star Firmino to get in Brazil squad
South American football expert Tim Vickery has noted in his column for ESPN that Roberto Firmino has one last chance to get in Brazil’s World Cup squad with September’s friendlies, having been included in their team for the final pre-tournament fixtures later in the month.
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The Selecao will face Ghana and Tunisia in France on September 23 and 27 as Tite takes his last look at who merits a seat on the plane to Qatar. Brazil will face Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon in Group G in the Middle East over the 22nd edition of the Fifa competition.
Firmino has not represented Brazil in more than a year, with his most recent appearance in defeat to Argentina during the 2021 Copa America final last July. He played five times over the tournament, with a goal to beat Colombia 2-1 in the group stage, to hit 55 career caps.
The 30-year-old had been a mainstay of Selecao sides since 2016 before falling out of Tite’s group last year. Now, Firmino will fear missing out on a second World Cup if he cannot give enough in September’s friendlies, following the Liverpool star’s backup role at Russia 2018.
Vickery sees Firmino filling false No.9 void behind Neymar in Tite’s team
Tite took Brazil to the quarter-final of the 2018 Russia World Cup, with Firmino – off losing the Champions League final with Liverpool – making each of his four appearances from the bench. The Maceio native also scored once, with their second in a last 16 win over Mexico.
Vickery suspects Tite is now bringing Firmino back in from the cold to have a backup false No.9 for Neymar. But Liverpool’s £29m signing from TSG Hoffenheim in 2015 faces a tough test from Flamengo’s 25-year-old star Pedro, who boasts 24 goals and 10 assists this term.
“This is a conundrum for the coach,” Vickery wrote. “Firmino’s star has been waning, but he is the player with most capacity to replace Neymar in a false No.9 role, hence this final chance to force his way into the World Cup squad.
“If Firmino is a false nine, then there is a chance for a genuine centre-forward in Pedro of Flamengo – the top scorer in the Copa Libertadores, South America’s Champions League.”
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