Neymar did the business on Monday afternoon
He may not have been at his best as Brazil beat Mexico 2-0 to reach the World Cup quarter finals, but his contributions were telling. Having scored the opener after sliding on to Willian’s mis-hit cross, Neymar’s toe-poked effort could have doubled their lead in the closing minutes. Although the goalkeeper saved it with his foot, the ball fell kindly for Roberto Firmino to tap home.
Sadly, however, much of the talk after the game was about the way Neymar reacted to a ‘stamp’ from Mexico’s Miguel Layun.
With Neymar on the ground on the sideline, Layun stood on his ankle as he attempted to retrieve the ball and restart play. It was almost certainly deliberate, and Mark Clattenburg acknowledged in the post-game analysis that he could have been sent off for it.
It was, however, Neymar’s reaction to the incident which got people talking. Although he was back on the pitch within minutes, the Paris Saint-Germain player rolled around, seemingly in agony, for a good few seconds after the incident.
"This is a deliberate act and therefore it is a clear red card"@clattenburg1975 discusses the altercation between Layun and Neymar
Watch LIVE on @ITV pic.twitter.com/VxPT6eSOgz
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 2, 2018
Predictably, many on social media were unimpressed by Neymar’s antics, plenty mocking him for what they felt was an over the top reaction.
Alan Shearer was amongst those to comment, summing up the feelings of most people watching…
‘FFS @neymarjr man,’ the former England international tweeted. ‘STOP IT. We are fed up of it.’
FFS @neymarjr man. STOP IT. We are fed up of it. #BrazilvsMexico
— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) July 2, 2018
Neymar and his Brazil teammates will now move on to last eight, where they will face the winners of Belgium and Japan.
Had England avoided defeat in their final group game against Belgium last Thursday, they would have faced Japan. Thanks to Adnan Januzaj’s goal, England finished second and will instead take on Colombia on the other side of the draw.
