ZCZC
BSP-05
FBL-BRA-WC-2018-LIGUE1-PSG-NEYMAR
Neymar: “I couldn’t look at a football” after the World Cup
PRAIA GRANDE, Brazil, July 22, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Brazil superstar Neymar
admits that after his nation’s quarter-final defeat to Belgium at the World
Cup he couldn’t look at a ball and didn’t want to see any of the remaining
matches.
“I wouldn’t go as far as to say I didn’t want to play again but, I didn’t
want to see a ball, or to see any more football played,” 26-year-old Neymar
told AFP in an exclusive interview on Saturday.
The Paris Saint Germain forward was talking at his Neymar Praia Grande
institute where the Red Bull Neymar Jr 5’s (five-a-side-soccer) tournament
was being played.
Dressed in a sleeveless t-shirt, with his six-year-old son Davi Lucca sat
upon his knee, the striker was however in a relaxed mood as he explained his
post-World Cup blues.
“I was in mourning, I was really sad about it, but sadness passes, I have
my son, my family, my friends and they don’t want to see me moping around.
I’ve got more reason to be happy than sad,” said Neymar, reflecting on his
team’s 2-1 quarter-final defeat to Belgium.
Asked about reports in Spain linking him with a transfer to Real Madrid
the forward said “that’s all speculation from the press.”
“The guys who come up with these stories seem to know more about my life
than I do. I won’t respond to this type of question because nothing
happened,” he scoffed.
The Brazilian superstar, who moved to PSG for a world record 222 million
euros ($264 million) last year, insists that the burden of expectation on his
shoulders — whether with his club or country — does not weigh heavily.
“No, all the great players feel pressure,” he said.
“It’s true that when it comes to me, there are double standards. I have
been aware of this responsibility, not only for Brazil, but also in club
fotball, since I was 17, 18 years old.
“I have prepared myself to handle this pressure and I know that when the
results are not what they should be then that pressure increases.”
Neymar has been hit by a barrage of criticism for theatrical rolling
around after being fouled at the World Cup, but says he should have been
better protected.
– ‘Criticism of me exaggerated’ –
“People were faster to criticise the one being fouled than the one doing
the fouling,” he insisted.
“I went to the World Cup to play, to beat the opposition, not to get
kicked. The criticism of me was exaggerated, but I’m a big boy, I’m used to
dealing with this kind of thing
“And I can’t be the referee and play at the same time, but there are times
I wish I could,” he said.
Earlier this week, Neymar took a swipe at his critics with a tongue-in-
cheek video in which he teaches children how to fall to the ground.
“One, two, three, go!” shouts Neymar on the Instagram video as around a
dozen youngsters fall to the ground of a parking lot.
“That’s a free-kick!” screams the Brazilian breaking into fits of
laughter.
The video was released with a hashtag #ChallengeDAFALTA, the free-kick
challenge in Portuguese.
During the recent World Cup, the player’s antics sparked the “Neymar
Challenge” where he was widely mocked. In Mexico, a football club even
rganised a competition in which contestants attempted to roll the entire
length of the pitch.
Meanwhile, Neymar described PSG’s new coach Thomas Tuchel as a great
addition to the club.
“He’s a great coach and we’re hoping for a great season,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Neymar said of his second season in
Paris.
“We have signed a football legend (Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon)
who will bring with him all his experience and that will be a great help for
this coming season.”
BSS/AFP/MSY/0838 hrs