With stars like Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo in the squad, Brazil is among the favorites for Copa America. Unfortunately, their campaign got off to a rocky start as the Selecao were held to a goalless draw by Costa Rica. Watching in attendance was the legendary Neymar who missed out on the tournament due to an ACL injury. Despite the playmaker being busy with his recovery, it is evident that he still has time for the national team and good friend Lionel Messi.

On Instagram, Neymar wished former teammate Lionel Messi on his 37th birthday. Through his story, the Brazilian wrote, “Feliz Cumple Leo Messi” with a heart emoji. Having played together at Barcelona and PSG, the two share quite a wholesome bond off the pitch. While the Argentine team is hoping to give La Pulga the perfect birthday present with a win over Chile, Neymar was visibly disappointed with Brazil’s performance.

During the 72nd minute of the game, the cameras turned to the Al Hilal star. At the time, Neymar was covering his face with his hands, possibly out of frustration. However, upon seeing the cameras, he waved his hands and blew a kiss to the supporters. For Brazil, up next is two tricky encounters against Paraguay and Colombia. Coach Durival Junior would be hoping that the side can pick up their form soon.

On the other hand, for Lionel Messi and Scaloni, the mood is vastly different. Following a challenging match against Canada, Argentina can secure knockout qualification with a win over Chile. Yet, despite the team performing well, questions have been raised over Messi’s performance.

Pundits say Lionel Messi is at a ‘different level’ following a goalless display

Against Canada, Lionel Messi unleashed the playmaker in him. It was his pass to Mac Allister that led to Julian Alvarez’s opener. Later, La Pulga assisted Lautaro Martinez’s goal as well. But, pundit Sebastian Salazar on ESPN was not impressed with La Pulga’s display. He said, “He is now at a very different level and he’s been in Major League Soccer for over a year now. And you’re saying he’s missing chances that he usually wouldn’t. Is that down to where he plays?.”

It seems Salazar is hinting that Lionel Messi’s form has dropped off since joining Inter Miami. Fellow pundit Shaka Hislop agreed and added, “Possibly, you can see that as being a factor. But then you take a game or two to get back into top speed.” Ultimately, the pundits expressed confidence that the Ballon d’Or winner will be back to his best. For Argentina’s sake, let’s hope that it becomes true.