It is often the case that players struggle to translate their sparkling form at club level to standout performances for their country, but not where Philippe Coutinho is concerned.
The Liverpool man just seems to love playing for Brazil and has often looked rejuvenated for Jurgen Klopp’s side after returning from international duty.
He continued that trend on Friday as he shone in the absence of star man Neymar, despite being unable to help his side avoid a 1-0 defeat against Argentina. His touch and footwork was exquisite at times, he proved to be a driving force behind a lot of Brazil’s attacks and was unlucky not to level things up for his team.
It was by no means Coutinho at his best, evidenced by a few uncharacteristic misplaced passes, but it was a bright and busy Coutinho.
The performance saw him occupy a position on the right of a front three, that he has seemingly made his own for Brazil, whilst also drifting out onto the left-hand side and also dropping deeper to function in the kind of central midfield role Klopp has tipped to be his long-term position at Liverpool.
It was a display that showcased the value of his interchanging and also the 24-year-old somewhat taking responsibility and looking to get himself on the ball and put himself at the heart of everything Brazil did going forward- the kind of approach Liverpool fans are desperate to see him take more regularly.
With Brazil’s high-profile friendly out the way, it’s time for Reds to turn their attention towards England’s World Cup qualifier against Scotland, in which Adam Lallana could play a key role.
Here’s a reminder of what Coutinho got up to…
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