In training before Japan, Luiz Henrique pulled off a nutmeg so absurd that even Neymar stopped to applaud
Video from Romário TV shows Luiz Henrique humiliating a Flamengo defender with a nutmeg. Neymar stopped to applaud. Yet the Pantera is still on the bench.
A substitute, barely used, almost invisible at the World Cup. And then Luiz Henrique goes and nutmegs Léo Pereira so cleanly that everything stops at training.
The video, captured by Romário TV ahead of the match against Japan, showed the former Botafogo man pulling off a humiliating nutmeg on the Flamengo centre-back during the warm-up. The moment went viral — and it's not hard to see why.
What drew the most attention was the reaction of his teammates. Everyone stopped. But it was Neymar who enjoyed it the most, applauding the Pantera Negra on the spot.
The problem is that this Luiz Henrique who dazzles in training has barely been seen on the pitch at the World Cup. In the opener — a 1–1 draw with Morocco — he came on for just 28 minutes. Since then, the Zenit forward has not been called upon.
Golmetria's model gives Brazil an 8.92% chance of winning the title — a figure that sits alongside the reality of a squad still searching for its best football. Talents like Luiz Henrique waiting in the wings are part of that puzzle.
The question that lingers: when a player can draw applause from Neymar in a warm-up, why is he still watching from the outside?