Coutinho finished? His 25-yard piledriver for Brazil says otherwise

To say Phillipe Coutinho’s return to the Brazil squad divided opinion in his home country would be a significant understatement.

Walter Casagrande, a former Brazil centre-forward turned Globo pundit, wrote on Globoesporte: “I’m not saying Dani [Alves] and Coutinho are not good players. Quite the opposite, I’ve covered many Selecao games in which they’ve played well.

“I’m talking about deserving it at the moment. They were two absurd call-ups, with no merit, making it clear that these two players have a place reserved for them on the list.”

Tell us what you really think, Walter. But his argument would have chimed with those who view Coutinho as a washed-up talent, ruined by his four years at Barcelona and not worthy of selection because of it.

But other voices were tinged with more optimism, albeit containing an ultimatum. “This could be Coutinho’s moment of truth after tough moments in his career,” said Rivaldo in an interview with Betfair.

Only with strong performances can the player justify Tite’s confidence ahead of the World Cup. “From here to the end of the season, Coutinho must perform for Villa and Brazil.”

“From a social and human standpoint, I know how much time he has invested and the challenges he has faced to recover from injury,” Tite commented before the Ecuador game in an empathetic show of faith. 

Coutinho was substituted early in Quito, due to Emerson Royal’s brainfart, but made his proper return for the Selecao against Paraguay in Belo Horizonte.

With Brazil already booking their ticket for Qatar, and facing opponents who have misplaced the stubbornness that characterised the best Paraguayan sides, it was the ideal environment for Coutinho to silence the doubters.

And the manner in which he took his