Yeah, you have something there! I have been amazed by how he has carried himself under the immense pressure. Now I hope some others will step up.

Not yet. :) I am going to try to be optimistic!

That's honorable of you to say. I don't see that sort of self-reflection often in comment boards! Given Neymar's reputation, a lot of people have said terrible things tonight. But sadly some of those ingrates will wallow in their belief that "he [or Brasil] deserved it." Ah, humanity...

Yes, it felt out of control early on.

Willian, perhaps.

I don't think that perception is wrong, exactly. One of the GREAT things has been the passionate and loud fan groups from other countries, particularly Mexico, Colombia, and Uruguay. But at each match there are also repeated choruses of "Eu sou brasileiro, com muito orgulho, com muito amor!" So I feel like Brazilians…

Not sure what you mean by the Brazilian crowds. In the three matches I have been to, the spirit has been good, and the brasileiros around me have been knowledgeable fans, not merely posers. That is, except for the guy's girlfriend sitting in front of me last week who spent the whole bloody time taking multiple…

If you are referring to the guy with white powder on his face, he gave me the shivers. Intense.

Yeah, this annoys the hell out of me, as someone from São Paulo. I would be really mad if I were from, say, Cuiabá or Belo Horizonte.

In Brasil, particularly for the World Cup, the pursuit of a complete album was a multi-generational affair. There were places in shopping centers or just on the street where you could go to trade with people. It was fun atmosphere.

That was mesmerizing. Welcome to Brasil!

Damn, if Hulk had made that, it would have been on the WC highlight reel. Coulda, shoulda, woulda...

Yes. I hope Felipao starts Fernandinho against Chile.

I have seen a few Brasilias still sputtering on the street here in Sao Paulo, but I am not sure you can say that "they're still pretty common." Perhaps in the interior? What do other Brasileiros think?

True. The flag thing is weird to me, too.

You're right, they do. But no Japanese I know has gotten a tattoo of bad English.

As a non-English and non-Uruguayan LFC fan, I was rooting for England because I love Sturridge, Sterling, Henderson, and Gerrard. So the result was disappointing, to say the least, especially to see Gerrard play so poorly. BUT Suarez is brilliant and a thrill to watch. Both goals showed his immense talent, and I was…

I have been to three matches of this World Cup so far, and I can confirm that people do this alot, particularly people from countries who aren't in the Copa at all. I don't get it. Can't you just be an observer? At yesterday's Eng-Uru match, for example, sitting in my section there were guys with gear/flags from…

Yeah, that was memorable. I just wish he's show that intensity on the pitch now at the Copa!

Here in Brasil I am living in a hazy Group Stage Land in which practically the only thing that matters is the three matches a day and the pre-match/post-match parties or in the case of the Seleção, the commiseration parties). I forget the date/day. Fortunately, I am between jobs at the moment!