（译者注：罗马里奥，巴西足坛名宿，1994年世界杯最佳球员带领巴西队夺冠，这是他在2022年卡塔尔世界杯前夕给内马尔的一封信。很遗憾内马尔并未带领巴西队夺冠止步八强赛。）

Neymar,

内马尔,

The moment is coming, you know? The one that separates the boys from the men. And I know that, by now, you have probably heard a lot of bulls***, a lot of criticism, and a lot of pissing and moaning from people whose jobs are to give their opinion on someone else’s lives and careers.

那一刻就要来了，你知道吗?那是区分男人和男孩的东西。我知道，到目前为止，你可能已经从那些对别人的生活和事业指手画脚的人那里听到了很多废话，很多批评，还有很多抱怨。

So, the first thing I want to tell you is: I don’t intend to be a smart-ass and set the rules about what you should or shouldn’t do.

所以，我想告诉你的第一件事是:我成为那个自作聪明的人，告诉你应该做什么或不该做什么。

I, Romario, know perfectly well how you’re feeling. Oh, sure, now everyone loves to say that Shorty is like this, that he was like that, or that I’m the guy.

我，罗马里奥，非常了解你的感受。当然，现在每个人都喜欢说矮子（译者注：罗马里奥的绰号，因其身材矮小）是这样的，他是那样的，或者我就是那个人。
原创翻译：龙腾网 http://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


But the truth, mate, is that until 1993 there were a lot of people who spoke really, really bad about me. No kidding here. I mean it!

但事实上，兄弟，直到1993年还有很多人说我的坏话。这不是开玩笑。我是认真的!

They would question my behavior off the pitch.

他们会质疑我在场下的行为。
原创翻译：龙腾网 http://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


They would criticise my statements to the press.

他们会在媒体面前批评我的言论。

And they would even say that I was undisciplined.

他们甚至会说我不守纪律。

Man, to be honest, what did they want? A player who would ask their permission to be allowed to be who I am? Please.

伙计，说实话，他们想要什么?一个经过他们允许才能做自己的人?拜托。

If I were the kind of saint they idealized, I would never have gotten to where I did. The crack player, the genius in the box, the top scorer. The guy.

如果我是他们理想的那种圣人，我就永远不会有今天的成就。最出色的球员，禁区里的天才，最佳射手。那个家伙。

No, Neymar, that’s not arrogance. That’s confidence.

不，内马尔，这不是傲慢。这就是信心。

Like you, I came from far, far away, and I struggled a lot before I could become a football player and achieve everything I’ve achieved.

和你一样，我来自很远很远的地方，在成为一名足球运动员并取得我所取得的一切之前，我奋斗了很多。

Back in Vila da Penha, if things had been different from what I wanted, based on agility and courage, it wouldn’t have happened.

在Vila da Penha（译者注：佩尼亚村，里约热内卢的别称）那时候，如果事情与我想要的不同，若不是基于我的敏锐和勇气，一切就不会发生。

So, my dude, the first thing I want to tell you is: Just be yourself. People will criticise you anyway … but the press, the fans and even the opponents only come to admire us when they feel there is truth in our attitudes.

所以，兄弟，我想告诉你的第一件事就是:做你自己。人们无论如何都会批评你，但媒体、球迷甚至对手只有在他们觉得我们的态度是真实的时候才会钦佩我们。

And you know perfectly well where a player achieves that, right?

你很清楚球员是如何做到这一点的，对吧?

On the pitch.

在球场上。

Just like you, my friend, I also played in Europe. And from that time came a feeling that opponents and fans had in common about me.

就像你一样，我的朋友，我也在欧洲踢球。从那时起，我的对手和球迷对我有一样的感觉。

They respected me.

他们尊重我。

Just like you, my friend, I also played in Europe. And from that time came a feeling that opponents and fans had in common about me.
- Romário
In my time, Neymar (and it was not so long ago), players like me were called BAD BOYS.

在我那个时代，内马尔(并不是久远的事情)，像我这样的球员被称为坏男孩。

But that doesn't mean we were evil or did wrong.

但这并不意味着我们是邪恶的或做错了。

None of that.

都不是。
原创翻译：龙腾网 http://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


To tell the truth, if my attitude harmed anybody, it was me….

说实话，如果我的态度伤害了谁，那就是我....

Just imagine if I was a footballer keen on taking care of my body like you know who does nowadays? I guess — and it’s just a guess — I would have brought home at least one more World Cup.

想象一下，如果我是一个积极照顾自己身体的足球运动员像你知道的现今那个谁一样?（译者注：估计是在调侃C罗）我想——这只是猜测——我至少可以再拿一座世界杯奖杯回家。

So that’s what I’m talking about, bro.

这就是我说的，兄弟。
原创翻译：龙腾网 http://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


Really, do your part on the pitch and try and forget the rest, all the noise that comes from the outside. I always say that a good image is nice for a TV set. Just remain unfazed by what others will say about you.

真的，在球场上做好你的部分，试着忘记其他的，所有来自外面的噪音。我总是说，好的形象只对电视机来说很好。不要在意别人对你的评价。

Brazilian fans often don’t know how difficult it is to compete at a high level in the World Cup, a tournament where mistakes are not allowed.

巴西球迷通常不知道，在世界杯这种不允许出现失误的赛事中，比赛有多么困难。

And everyone knows that you want to do great things and are decisive on the pitch. You are unique there, “in that last third of the pitch,” as we usually hear from commentators who have never set foot on a pitch with the fans booing you from the stands.

每个人都知道你想做伟大的事情，在球场上是果断的。你在那里是独一无二的，“在球场的那三分之一”（译者注：前场球员活动的区域），就像我们经常听到的那些从未踏上过球场听着看台上球迷嘘声的评论员所说的那样。

But here’s a point I’d like to reinforce: No matter who you are, it is impossible to conquer anything alone.

但有一点我想强调:无论你是谁，你都不可能独自征服任何事情。

I know you know this.

我想你知道这一点。

Now I’ll tell you how I found that out.

现在我来告诉你我是怎么发现的。

When the Brazilian team traveled to the U.S. in 1994, I said that we would win the World Cup and that I would stand out.

1994年，当巴西队前往美国时，我说我们将赢得世界杯，我将脱颖而出。

Unlike the Brazilian fans, journalists who didn’t believe in us had to accept it. Then, suddenly, the story that “Romário won the ’94 World Cup alone” remained forever. Top of Form

不像巴西球迷，不相信我们的记者不得不接受。然后，突然之间，“Romário独自赢得了94年世界杯”的故事流传了下来。 Bottom of Form This is bullshit, man!
这太扯淡了，伙计!

That’s not how it happened.

事情不是这样的。

We wouldn’t have won without the firmness of Taffarel, who was under severe criticism from the fans even before the World Cup began, but whose steady play was essential to our success — especially in the penalty shootout against Italy in the final.

如果没有塔法雷尔（译者注：94世界杯巴西队主力门将）的坚定，我们不可能赢得比赛，他在世界杯开始前就受到了球迷的严厉批评，但他的稳定发挥是我们成功的关键——尤其是在决赛中与意大利队的点球大战中。


We wouldn’t have won the Cup if we hadn’t had the consistency of that pair of defenders, Aldair and Marcio Santos, and if we hadn’t been able to count on the strength of Dunga and Mazinho. And I have to talk about our wingers, who were in a state of grace, with Jorginho giving me a gift in the match against Sweden in the semifinals. That match was hard, with their goalkeeper saving everything, stalling for time, and the ball refusing to enter their goal. Then Jorginho found me among the defenders.

如果我们没有阿尔代尔和马西奥·桑托斯这对后卫的稳定，如果我们没有邓加和马济尼奥的力量，我们就不会赢得奖杯。我必须谈谈我们的边锋，他们表现得很好，约日尼奥在半决赛对瑞典的比赛中给了我一份礼物。那场比赛很艰难，他们的守门员扑球了所有射门，拖延时间，球就是进不了他们的球门。然后若日尼奥在对方后卫中找到了我。

And do I really need to tell you about Leonardo, who you already know personally? Or about Branco, who came off the bench, drew a foul and scored a great goal in that match against the Netherlands?

我真的需要告诉你莱昂纳多（译者注：前巴西队主力中场，AC米兰名宿）的事吗，你已经认识他了?或者是布兰科，在那场对阵荷兰队的比赛中替补出场，制造了一次犯规，并打进了一粒精彩的进球?
原创翻译：龙腾网 http://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


Above all, Neymar, in that team, we had a lot of character and a lot of camaraderie.

最重要的是，内马尔，在那支球队里，我们有很多的个性球员也有很多的同志情谊。

Raí was the captain, the unanimous owner of shirt number 10, but he gave way to Mazinho because Parreira needed to rebuild the midfield. And Zinho, who had played a lot in Flamengo and Palmeiras as a leftwinger, reinvented himself for the benefit of the group. Everyone wanted to be on the pitch, mate, it was a World Cup. But people also understood the greater good at stake. They made sacrifices.

拉伊（译者注：巴西足坛名宿苏格拉底的弟弟，1994年世界杯他原本为巴西队队长，但是让出了场上位置，使邓加成为当年巴西对事实上的场上队长）是队长，10号球衣的拥有者，但他让位于马济尼奥，因为佩雷拉需要重建中场。而曾在弗拉门戈和帕尔梅拉斯踢过很多比赛的左边锋日尼奥，为了球队的利益重新塑造了自己。每个人都想在球场上，伙计，这是世界杯。但人们也明白这关乎更大的利益。他们做出了牺牲。

And as almost no one remembers it anymore, I will tell you about a special match for me. It was the Fourth of July, the U.S.’s Independence Day, and we were facing the Americans on their home turf. The match was tough. To make matters worse, Leonardo was sent off. Things don’t always go the way we want.

几乎没有人记得了，我来告诉你一场对我来说特别的比赛。那天是7月4日，美国的独立日（译者注：美国国庆日），我们在美国人的地盘上迎战他们。这场比赛很艰难。更糟糕的是，莱昂纳多被罚下了。事情并不总是如我们所愿。

Can you imagine the pressure?

你能想象这种压力吗?

To be eliminated in the round of 16 against the U.S.?

在16强对阵美国队时被淘汰?

I could feel the heat of the criticism, which would be waiting for us in the case of our defeat:

如果我们失败了，我都能感觉到那灼热如火的批评。

“Brazil is no longer the country of football.”

“巴西不再是足球王国。”
原创翻译：龙腾网 http://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


“Twenty-four years without winning? How shameful!!”

“24年什么都没赢过?多么可耻! !”

“The Brazilian team no longer has the best players.”

“巴西队不再拥有最好的球员。”

“Argentina will be the champions.”

阿根廷将成为冠军

So, in one move, I went back to the midfield, asked for the ball and carried it to the front.

于是，我撤回到中场，要球，然后带到前场。

U.S. players surrounded me, including Lalas, a giant defender who scared everyone (except me).

美国球员包围了我，包括拉拉斯（译者注：94世界杯美国队后卫留着著名的山羊胡子），一个吓倒所有人(除了我)的巨人后卫。

I could have shot to the goal, as the angle allowed it.

如果角度允许的话，我本可以射门的。

But I made another decision. Bebeto was in a better position, and I passed the ball to him — and even now, people still say I’m greedy. Can you believe it?!

但我做了另一个决定。贝贝托（译者注：巴西队名宿，著名前锋）在一个更好的位置，我把球传给了他——即使是现在，人们仍然说我贪婪（译者注：很独，不传球的意思）。你能相信吗?

He shot it smoothly in the right corner, avoiding Tony Meola. And you may not know it, Neymar, because you were very young, but the Brazilian fans remember what Bebeto said to me at the celebration.

他避开托尼·梅奥拉（译者注：美国队门将），在右角顺利射门。你可能不知道，内马尔，因为你还很年轻，但巴西球迷记得贝贝托在庆祝会上对我说的话。

The whole of Brazil did lip-reading:

整个巴西都在读唇语:

“I LOVE YOU!”

“我爱你!”
原创翻译：龙腾网 http://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


After that, it was done. There was no way to take the trophy from us. I am telling you this story because, as you may already know, no one wins alone — especially in a World Cup.

在那之后，都完成了。没人能从我们手中夺走奖杯。我告诉你这个故事是因为，你可能已经知道，没有人能独自赢得胜利——尤其是在世界杯上。
原创翻译：龙腾网 http://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


But, being who we are, we can never escape the responsibility of putting things in their proper place. To beat the chest and ask for the ball when the team needs it most.

但是，我们是谁，我们永远不能逃避责任，把东西放在合适的地方。在球队最需要的时候拍着胸脯要球。

God only knows how much I would have enjoyed playing in 1998 and 2002. Unfortunately, I couldn’t.

只有上帝知道我在1998年和2002年会有多享受比赛（译者注：罗马里奥未能入选巴西队参加此两届世界杯）。不幸的是，我不能再踢了。

And in the only Cup I played as a starter, I had to give myself to the maximum, along with my teammates, so that we could win.

在我唯一一次以首发身份参加的杯赛中，我必须和我的队友们一起发挥出最大的能力，这样我们才能赢得比赛。

Everyone only remembers the joys, the celebrations, and the victory themes.

每个人都只记得喜悦、庆祝和胜利的主题。

But almost no one remembers the pressure of playing in a World Cup wearing the Brazil shirt after so many years without a title.

但几乎没有人记得，在这么多年没有冠军的情况下，身披巴西队战袍参加世界杯的压力。
原创翻译：龙腾网 http://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


The comparisons, the belittling, and the empty criticism can all hurt a player as enlightened as you.

比较、贬低和空洞的批评都可能伤害到像你这样聪慧的球员。

But you have the joy of those who play with pleasure. And the main thing is that you bring people joy when you play. You are f***ing great, bro!

但你有享受快乐足球。最重要的是，当你踢球时，你会给人们带来快乐。你他妈太棒了，兄弟!

Romário | Retired | For Neymar | The Players' Tribune
César Valença/The Players' Tribune
May I tell you something? If I could go back in time, I would do everything the same way to secure that ’94 title. I made my story, and I’m sure you will make yours. We don’t owe anything to anyone, and the Brazilian fans are always with us when they realize our commitment, dedication and lust for victory. I enjoy playing like this. And I’m sure you do, too.

我可以告诉你一件事吗?如果我能回到过去，我会用同样的方法来确保94年的冠军。我完成了我的故事，我相信你也会完成你的。我们不欠任何人任何东西，当巴西球迷意识到我们的承诺、奉献和对胜利的渴望时，他们总是和我们在一起。我喜欢这样踢球。我相信你也一样。

So when I think about it, I remember that you will be on the pitch, and my heart is at peace. Because I know you represent the spirit and the football that all of us Brazilians like to see. That you will beat your chest and ask for the ball when the team needs it most. That no one more than you deserves to bring this sixth World Cup home.

所以当我想到这件事的时候，我就会想起你会在球场上，我的内心是平静的。因为我知道你代表着我们所有巴西人都喜欢看到的精神和足球。当球队最需要球的时候，你会拍着胸脯要球。没有人比你更有资格把第六个世界杯带回家。

Now it’s your turn, man! I trust you. Or rather, Brazil trusts you.

现在轮到你了，伙计!我相信你。或者说，巴西信任你。
原创翻译：龙腾网 http://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


May our Heavenly Father bless you in Qatar.

愿我们的天父在卡塔尔祝福你。

With love,
Romario

爱你的,
罗马里奥