PARIS, June 4, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A reoccurrence of an injury, two separate
suspensions for insulting a referee and hitting a fan, losing Brazil’s
captaincy and now an accusation of rape, the world’s most expensive player
had a season to forget for club and country, on and off the field.
Here AFP reflects on Neymar’s difficult season starting with the World Cup
in Brazil which could end up with a Copa America title on home soil: – Back
for Brazil –
After more than three months sidelined with a foot problem his 69th minute
goal guides Brazil to a 2-0 World Cup warm-up friendly victory over eventual
champions Croatia on June 3. – ‘Pathetic diving’ –
Despite scoring once and claiming an assist as the Selecao qualified for
the last-16 his World Cup group stage is marred by his “pathetic” diving as
former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel told Russian broadcaster
RT. – Bows out to boos –
Brazil are knocked out of the World Cup in the quarter-finals to Belgium on
July 6. He’s the victim of boos from a home crowd watching on a big screen in
Rio every time he rolls on the ground, becoming an internet joke for his
theatrical efforts. – Depression –
“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,” the 27-year-old told
AFP on July 22 after the disappointment in Russia. – ‘Sensational’ –
He scores a hat-trick in a 6-1 thumping of Red Star Belgrade in the
Champions League group stages two months into the club season on October 3
described as ‘sensational’ by head coach Thomas Tuchel. – Ballon d’Or blip –
He fails to make the top 10 of the shortlist for the first time since 2013
finishing in 12th place as Croatia’s World Cup winning-midfielder Luka Modric
takes the award in a ceremony held in the Brazilians’s adopted home city
Paris on December 3. – Same foot, same injury –
With less than half an hour to play and PSG leading Strasbourg 1-0 on
January 23 in the second round of the French Cup he limps off the Parc de
Princes field with a similar foot injury to the one he suffered 13 months
earlier. His return date is set for the Champions League quarter-finals but
the Parisians have to face a resurgent Manchester United with new boss Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer in the last 16 before then. – Controversial Carnival –
Despite still recovering from the metatarsal problem he’s filmed and
photographed dancing at both Salvador and Rio carnivals in early March. –
Referee rage –
Forced to watch in the the stands as PSG are knocked out of the Champions
League by Manchester United on March 6 he tells officials to “Go fuck
yourselves” on Instagram afterwards.
He adds: “It’s a disgrace. They get four guys who don’t understand football
to watch a slow motion replay in front of the TV.” – Tax probe –
Newspaper El Mundo report in March Spanish tax authorities were
investigating the bonus he earned when he extended his Barcelona contract in
2017.
Officials were looking into whether the Brazilian paid tax related to his
extra payments and his record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, the daily
paper said. – Three-match ban –
Six weeks after his referee rant on social media Neymar is handed a three-
match suspension by UEFA for his insults which rule him out of PSG’s opening
fixtures in next season’s European campaign. – Fanfare –
Two days later, PSG are beaten on penalties in the French Cup final by
Rennes on April 28. He scores his side’s second goal but hits a supporter as
he collects his runners-up medal at the Stade de France. – ‘The rebellious
teenager’ –
The Brazilian press pounce on his Cup final misdemeanour branding him a
“coward” and a “rebellious teenager”. PSG’s Tuchel adds salt to the wound by
saying “I don’t like it. You can’t do that, you just can’t do that.” –
Suspension number two –
He is given another ban for three games with a further two games suspended
for lashing out at the spectator in the stands after the shock defeat to
Rennes. – Shuns last PSG match –
He heads back to Brazil to prepare for the Copa America after he claims to
have been given permission to miss the league French champions’ final game of
the season on May 24. Coach Tuchel denies his reasoning. – Captaincy gone –
Four days later Brazil boss Tite takes the skipper’s armband away from the
96-time international and gives it to club team-mate Dani Alves less than
three weeks away from the start of the Copa America on home soil. – Rape
allegation –
According to a complaint filed with Sao Paolo police and reported by the
UOL and GloboEsporte websites on June 1, he is accused of “using violence to
have sex with the victim without her consent.” – Allegation denied –
A day later he denies raping the woman who accused him of sexually
assaulting her at a Paris hotel, with his father claiming he is the victim of
blackmail.
“I am accused of rape, it’s a big word, it’s very strong, but that is what
has happened,” Neymar said in a seven-minute video posted on Instagram.
Neymar, 27, then shows what he says is a long series of WhatsApp messages
with the woman, including topless photographs of her in bed.