Neymar to attend 3rd place play-off

TERESÓPOLIS, Brasil (AFP) -- Brazil's injured striker Neymar will attend Saturday's third place play-off when the battered World Cup hosts take on the Netherlands.
Brazil were consigned to the ignominy of fighting out a game Dutch coach Louis van Gaal has attacked as "unfair" after their 7-1 semi-final mauling by Germany.
Neymar's absence dominated the build-up to Tuesday's humiliation. The Barcelona striker missed out after fracturing a vertebra in the quarter-final win over Colombia.
"Neymar will come here (to Brazil's World Cup base), he's going to accompany the team to Saturday's match," confirmed Brazil football federation spokesman Rodrigo Paiva to R7.com.
Paiva announced the news at Brazil's World Cup headquarters in Teresopolis, near Rio de Janeiro.
Medics ,meanwhile, from the superstar striker's Barcelona club visited him at his home to check up his injury.
Neymar's absence and as importantly that of suspended defender and captain Thiago Silva contributed to Tuesday's shocking Belo Horizonte battering by a Germany side that now faces Argentina in Sunday's final.
Meanwhile, Brazilian superstar Neymar said Thursday he wants team-mate Lionel Messi to lead Argentina to victory in the World Cup final against Germany.
At an emotional press conference, Neymar broke down in tears as he relived the challenge which broke a vertebrae in his back and left him fearing he would be paralysed.
With Brazil's dream of winning a sixth World Cup decimated by their 7-1 hammering by Germany, Neymar said he wants Barcelona team-mate Messi to claim the trophy on Sunday against the Germans.
"Messi's history in the sport is so important, he has won a lot of trophies and I will be cheering for him," Neymar told a press conference.
"He is a friend, he is my team-mate and I wish him luck."
Neymar was ruled out of the World Cup in a rugged challenge by Colombia defender Juan Camilo Zuniga in Brazil's 2-1 quarter-final win.