HE might be carrying Brazilian hopes on his young shoulders but Neymar doesn’t want to be the World Cup’s best player.

He is Brazil’s star player, much like Shahid Afridi is for the Pakistan cricket team. But while Afridi can flatter to deceive at times, Neymar can’t.

Brazil expects Neymar — their Number 10, a number made famous by the legendary Pele — to lead them to their sixth World Cup title at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Marcana Stadium on July 13.

Being the chosen one for a World Cup is a big burden. Many have come before and while many were successful — like Ronaldo and Romario, the list of those who failed to live up to the expectations of a nation crazy about its football is even greater.

Ronaldinho (2006), Kaka (2006 and 2010) and Robinho (2010) were all tasked with that. All of them failed.

Over to you, Neymar.

“I don’t want to be the best player at the World Cup,” Neymar said at the press conference on Wednesday, a day ahead of Brazil’s opening World Cup Group ‘A’ game against Croatia. “I don’t want to be the most prolific striker at the World Cup; I just want to win it. I want to win the World Cup with my team.”

His aim, he believes, is the dream of the Brazilians. And he hopes to make that dream come true.

“The time has arrived for which all the Brazilians and the whole world was waiting for,” he added on the eve of the tournament.

“I’m anxious but I’m extremely happy to be here. A lot of my friends dreamt of being here but they chose different paths.

“I hope to fulfil the dream of the Brazilians.”

The 22-year-old Barca striker also disclosed the players he idolized while growing up. “Ronaldo and Romario were two special players and I take inspiration from them.

“I remember at the 2002 World Cup [where Ronaldo led Brazil to their fifth World Cup crown], I had a haircut like Ronaldo.”

Neymar is Brazil’s leading scorer ahead of the World Cup with 31 goals in 49 matches but he downplayed the idea that the team was just about him.

“I don’t play by myself,” Neymar said. “There are 11 players on the field, and everybody knows their role and what they need to do to try to help our team make it far in the tournament.

“We know there will be difficult matches. It’s a World Cup so all the games will be decided in little details, so we’re preparing ourselves not to make mistakes during the game.”

He called upon Brazil’s fickle home fans to get behind the team, saying they could be the most ‘important players’ in their title bid.

“The 12th player and even the main player of the Brazilian squad is the supporters,” he said.

“If the supporters are 100 per cent on our side during our matches, I think it will be difficult to beat Brazil.”

Neymar was the star of last year’s Confederations Cup as he led Brazil to the title, scoring in a 3-0 demolition of world champions Spain before eventually signing for Lionel Messi’s Barca.

He admitted he took inspiration from the Argentine and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo but he had his own way to go.

“I’m a big fan of Messi and Ronaldo as they are the two star players in world football at the moment.

“However, I have to follow my own path to success.”

His path begins at the World Cup.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2014