Brazil’s Neymar reacts at the end of a group A match of the men’s Olympic football tournament between Brazil and Iraq at the National Stadium in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016. The game ended in a 0-0 draw.
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‘Neymar will one day become the best player in the world and we need to respect him, ‘ he said.
Neymar could quit global football with Brazil if the country’s fans fail to show him respect, coach Rogerio Micale has suggested. “I know that there have been times when he behaved in a way that we may not like but, at his age, wouldn’t we do the same things that he does, if we had everything he has?”, Micale was quoted as saying by goal.com on Tuesday.
The 47-year-old coach’s comments were perhaps meant to remind fans of Neymar’s Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi.
Some amongst the spectators have even taunted Neymar by suggesting he should be replaced by Brazil’s female star Marta. While Neymar has been publicly targetted, fans have been seen chanting the name of Marta, who has flourished in the women’s team at this year’s Games.
Rio de Janeiro, August 10: Neymar could quit global football with Brazil if the country’s fans fail to show him respect, coach Rogerio Micale stated here Tuesday.
The 24-year-old drew a blank against the South Africa under-23 side and then did the same against Iraq.
Former star Zico, who played in the 1980s, told Globoesporte that the 24-year-old was not showing the leadership and focus required to be a captain.
Zico said that after the Selecao’s early Copa America Centenario group exit and the 2014 World Cup semifinal humiliation by Germany on home soil, he feared something similar was about to happen now at the Olympics.
But Micale said Brazil need to reflect on the state of the national game rather debating whether to strip Neymar of the captaincy.
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Brazil heads into its final group match against Denmark sitting second from the bottom of Group A with just two points from two matches.
