Neymar Tactics Commented on by Brazil Coach Tite After World Cup Qualification

Brazil coach Tite has revealed that he allows star man Neymar to be isolated and heavily marked as opposition defences open up space for other attackers when they concentrate their efforts on the Barcelona man. 

A 3-0 victory over Paraguay on Tuesday—paired with Peru's 2-1 win against Uruguay—saw Brazil become the first team to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia:

A Neymar goal in Sao Paulo came between strikes from Philippe Coutinho and Marcelo, and Tite explained after the game how the 25-year-old forward helps his side even when he is being intensely marshalled, per FourFourTwo: 

"

The collective empowers the individual. If the ball arrives to Neymar, they mark [him], but the other side is more exposed. Coutinho creates chances. Enter Fagner, enter Paulinho. We take Neymar to one side, let him be isolated and make room for another. If they mark two, somewhere there are going to be people free. [We have to] find these alternative areas.

"

Brazil have been the dominant force in CONMEBOL qualifying for Russia 2018.

They have lost just one of their 14 matches so far and secured qualification with four games to spare.

Second-placed Colombia are nine points back from the Selecao at the head of a very tight core of countries all battling for the final three automatic qualification spots.

Major South American superpowers Chile and Argentina are in the most danger of having to go through a play-off to make the World Cup.

#	Team	MP	W	D	L	F	A	D	P
1	Brazil	14	10	3	1	35	10	+25	33
2	Colombia	14	7	3	4	18	15	+3	24
3	Uruguay	14	7	2	5	26	17	+9	23
4	Chile	14	7	2	5	24	19	+5	23
5	Argentina	14	6	4	4	15	14	+1	22
6	Ecuador	14	6	2	6	23	20	+3	20
7	Peru	14	5	3	6	22	23	-1	18
8	Paraguay	14	5	3	6	13	21	-8	18
9	Bolivia	14	3	1	10	12	32	-20	10
10	Venezuela	14	1	3	10	17	34	-17	6

Brazil are in no such trouble. They have looked irresistible since Tite was appointed as Dunga's successor following Brazil's failure at last summer's Copa America.

Under the 55-year-old former Corinthians manager, Brazil have won all nine of their matches, scoring 25 goals and conceding just two.

Neymar continues to be a key presence in the Brazil side—he has scored in six games under Tite.

But other forwards are also thriving, with Gabriel Jesus having made a big impact before he picked up an injury, and Paulinho netting a hat-trick last week against Uruguay.

This is a huge concern for opposition teams because, as noted by Tite, it is not possible to stop Brazil simply by keeping Neymar quiet. Indeed, that tactic can now make a side more vulnerable.