Neymar may have scored for Brazil in their 2-0 victory over Mexico but it was his theatrics that got everyone talking during the last-16 World Cup clash. Mexico’s Miguel Layun left a sneaky foot on the forward’s ankle while trying to receive the ball with his side 1-0 down on Monday.
And Neymar, much to the dismay of football fans worldwide, reacted by rolling around in over-dramatic fashion on the touchline at the Samara Arena. And ITV pundit Martin O’Neill took a cheeky jab at Neymar following the final whistle: ‘His reaction is pathetic, absolutely pathetic. Mark (Clattenburg) is right it’s a red card but the pain threshold of Neymar is incredibly low.
‘I wouldn’t want to see him coming out of the doctors’ surgery after getting a flu injection.’
It also provoked a response from former Newcastle and England striker Alan Shearer. ‘It’s absolutely pathetic,’ Shearer said. ‘There’s no doubting the ability of him. We saw it with the back heel, then the finish and then setting up for the second goal, he’s a magnificent player.