DOHA, Qatar -- Casemiro had just left the stage with his Player of the Match award. The Brazil midfielder had scored the stunning winner in their 1-0 win over Switzerland in their second group-stage match, but he dodged any personal praise, instead spreading the acclaim throughout the team.
It's part of Brazil's squad dynamic here in Qatar: The strength of the team outweighs any individual performance. But coach Tite allowed himself one brief moment to go off-message when asked whether Neymar -- who had watched the performance from his hotel bed when recovering from illness and an ankle injury -- was right when he tweeted that Casemiro was "the best defensive midfielder in the world.