Soccer
Brazil teams complete clean sweep at Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five World Final
The mixed and women’s teams from Brazil were crowned 2022 champions before playing a match each against Neymar Jr. Here’s how everything went down in Doha.
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It was a successful night for Brazil at the 2022 Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five World Final in Qatar on Tuesday evening, with two of the country’s teams becoming the new mixed and women’s champions. Their reward was to play a match each against their compatriot and footballing superstar, Neymar Jr.
Watch the World Final highlights here and read on below to find out what happened on Sunday and Monday in Doha.
01
Brazil wins it all in Qatar
After opening up their tournament on Monday with a 5-0 loss at the hands of fellow Brazilians Resenha 013 – the first-ever derby match in this competition - the women of Fortal Balls were able to avenge that defeat in a dramatic final against the same opposition. Following a tight and tense goalless draw, it all came down to a one versus one shootout to decide the champions, with Fortal Balls eventually steering in the winner from distance.
“It’s a dream come true. I know we won, but the feeling hasn’t hit yet,” said their captain, Francesca Ferrari Fayad. “We came all the way from Brazil to conquer this competition and we’re so psyched. Now it’s time to party.”
The two Brazilian teams celebrate with Neymar Jr
© Fabio Piva/Red Bull Content Pool
In the mixed category, fellow Brazilians Consagrados overcame the strong challenge of Netherlands team, MrM SportCoaching, in similarly dramatic fashion. After nine action-packed but goalless minutes, the side from the Netherlands took the lead with just seconds remaining, before Consagrados forced a shootout with an equaliser moments later. A quickfire winner straight from the kick-off sealed victory in the shootout for the Brazilians.
“It’s amazing for us, it’s like a dream,” said Consgrados player, Henry Hatakeyama. “We played in 2018 but we lost in the quarter-finals. That made us more determined to come back and win it this time. We were worried when they scored, but I put my hope in God and we did it.”
5 min
Best moments from Red Bull Neymar Jr's Five World Final 2022
Here are all the best bits from the world's largest five-a-side amateur football tournament.
02
Dreams come true at Red Bull Neymar Jr's Five World Final
After personally handing over the winners’ trophies, Neymar Jr then invited both teams back onto the pitch for a match each against him and his friends. The Brazil forward delighted the spectators, including special guest and quadruple Dakar rally winner, Nasser Al-Attiyah, with his best tricks and some trademark goals – including a truly spectacular effort off his chest in the mixed Super Final.
“Neymar Jr is for us the biggest idol in Brazil, in the world,” said Hatakeyama. “He is an amazing footballer and it was unreal to play against him tonight.”
Neymar Jr and friends enjoyed the action from the two finals
© Fabio Piva/Red Bull Content Pool
A 1v1 shootout decided the all-Brazilian women's final
© Phil Pham/Red Bull Content Pool
The prize was a match against the Brazilian superstar and his friends
© Youssef Loulidi/Red Bull Content Pool
Players watched in awe as he dazzled them
© Phil Pham/Red Bull Content Pool
03
Dramatic knockout football on the final day of competition
After Monday’s group stage matches, Tuesday was all about knockout football. As is usually the case at this stage, there was plenty of drama, joy and heartache as teams gave everything they had to outplay them all.
After a strong showing on Monday, powering through the group games without conceding a single goal, the USA mixed team ultimately fell victim to Panama in the quarter-finals, only just being edged out 3-2.
The women’s French side, who also looked like potential champions on Monday’s showing, lost out 1-0 to the eventual runners-up in the last eight.
04
Neymar Jr turns attention to PSG and Brazil
After showing his support for some of the world’s best five-a-side teams in Doha, Neymar Jr will now switch his focus back to his own game. Preparations will soon begin for a new season in France with Paris Saint-Germain, and the Brazilian forward is already looking ahead to returning here to Qatar in November for the World Cup with his national team.
“I know it’s going to be difficult, but my expectations are clear - I want Brazil to bring home the World Cup,” he said.
05
What happened on Monday?
Two dramatic derby matches served as the highlight of an action-packed group stage on Monday, as two Brazilian teams and two sides from the United Arab Emirates went head-to-head in the first-ever derby matches in this tournament.
1 min
Best moments from the Action Group Stage
Here’s what happened on the pitch during the Action Group Stage at Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five World Final 2022.
USA's mixed team and the French women's team were in imperious form during Monday's group stage. Both played some sensational football as they carved through the opposition, scoring goals for fun while their own nets remained completely unbreached all night.
06
What happened on Sunday?
The group stage draw took place, bringing up the first-ever derby matches in the tournament.
Before the draw, players enjoyed a little training session down on the nearby beach in Doha, showing off their best tricks and flicks in a glimpse of what was to come in the competition.
Meanwhile, three Jr's Global Five squads, each consisting of seven players who earned their ticket to the World Final by impressing Neymar Jr with their tricks and skills posted on social media, met up for the first time and enjoyed a late-night training session at the Qatar Foundation.
Watch the replay of this year's World Final on Red Bull TV in English, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish.
Download the free Red Bull TV app and catch the football action on all your devices! Get the app here
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