Parreira: Neymar can lead Brazil to Olympic gold

Posted Sunday, August 05, 2012 by YAHOO Sport

Neymar can lead Brazil to Olympic gold, former coach Carlos Alberto Parreira says - but he says the talented striker still has some growing up to do.

Parreira, who coached Brazil to its 1994 World Cup title, expects Brazil to win its first Olympic title at the London Games after the exit of fellow favorites Spain and Uruguay. Brazil beat Honduras 3-2 Saturday to reach the semifinals.

"Brazil has a very strong team technically, very consistent, and a lot better than the rest of the teams left in the tournament," Parreira told The Associated Press on Saturday from Wembley Stadium, where he watched Mexico beat Senegal 4-2 in a quarterfinal.

"Now that favorites like Uruguay and Spain are out, Brazil shouldn't have any opposition," he said. "But they have to be weary as in these small tournaments, you can pay dearly for any little error."

Japan beat Egypt 3-0 on Saturday to reach the semifinals. Brazil or Honduras will face Britain or South Korea in the other semifinal.

The 69-year-old Parreira, who is at the Olympics for FIFA, believes the games are just the competition Brazil needs to stay competitive. As host country, it will not have to qualify for the 2014 World Cup

The current squad is just two or three changes away from being the final team for 2014, with Neymar the key.

"He still has to mature a lot, but at 20 he's one of the best strikers in the world and one of the few players who can make the difference in a game," said Parreira, who said has no intention of returning to coaching after last leading South Africa at the 2010 World Cup. "He loves football. He dies to play it, and that is important."