GENEVA (Reuters) – Brazil’s national team has become something of a refuge for prodigious striker Neymar, offering him a break from his celebrity lifestyle and commercial commitments back home.

Neymar, 21, has so far resisted the move to a European club and is still playing for Santos, where he made his professional debut.

GENEVA, March 22 (Reuters) – Brazil’s national team has become something of a refuge for prodigious striker Neymar, offering him a break from his celebrity lifestyle and commercial commitments back home.

Neymar, 21, has so far resisted the move to a European club and is still playing for Santos, where he made his professional debut.

GENEVA (Reuters) – Italy striker Mario Balotelli left his Brazil counterpart Neymar in the shadows as he capped an inspiring performance with a majestic goal in a 2-2 international friendly draw on Thursday.

Balotelli curled an unstoppable shot past Julio Cesar as Italy recovered from 2-0 down at halftime to deny Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari his first win since being reappointed for a second stint in November.

GENEVA, March 21 (Reuters) – Italy striker Mario Balotelli left his Brazil counterpart Neymar in the shadows as he capped an inspiring performance with a majestic goal in a 2-2 international friendly draw on Thursday.

Balotelli curled an unstoppable shot past Julio Cesar as Italy recovered from 2-0 down at halftime to deny Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari his first win since being reappointed for a second stint in November.

GENEVA (Reuters) – Mario Balotelli earned lavish praise for his team spirit from Italy coach Cesare Prandelli following his performance in the 2-2 draw in a friendly against Brazil on Thursday.

“I know how he really wants to be one of the best in the world but he has to remember how he can get there, and that is through team work,” Prandelli told reporters.

GENEVA, March 21 (Reuters) – Mario Balotelli earned lavish praise for his team spirit from Italy coach Cesare Prandelli following his performance in the 2-2 draw in a friendly against Brazil on Thursday.

“I know how he really wants to be one of the best in the world but he has to remember how he can get there, and that is through team work,” Prandelli told reporters.

GENEVA (Reuters) – Italy striker Mario Balotelli left his Brazil counterpart Neymar in the shadows as he capped an inspiring performance with a majestic goal in a 2-2 international friendly draw on Thursday.

Balotelli curled an unstoppable shot past Julio Cesar as Italy recovered from 2-0 down at halftime to deny Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari his first win since being reappointed for a second stint in November.

GENEVA, March 21 (Reuters) – Italy striker Mario Balotelli left his Brazil counterpart Neymar in the shadows as he capped an inspiring performance with a majestic goal in a 2-2 international friendly draw on Thursday.

Balotelli curled an unstoppable shot past Julio Cesar as Italy recovered from 2-0 down at halftime to deny Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari his first win since being reappointed for a second stint in November.

ZURICH (Reuters) – FIFA’s executive committee failed on Thursday to agree whether age and mandate limits should be placed on senior officials.

The world governing body’s independent governance committee (IGC), created to put forward suggestions for reforming soccer’s governing body, had proposed an age limit of 72 and restricting the president to two four-year terms in office.

ZURICH (Reuters) – FIFA has not lost control over the 2022 World Cup, president Sepp Blatter said on Thursday in response to ongoing controversy over whether the tournament should be staged in the European summer as planned.

Blatter reiterated that any request to change the timing of the event to cooler months would have to come from the organizers themselves.