The shrill blast of a referee’s whistle echoes all around Chile’s Estadio Monumental, signalling the end of a match. The stadium, in the southeastern suburbs of capital Santiago, is less than one-quarter full, as the embers of COVID-19 still flicker.
Brazil have just won their seventh straight 2022 World Cup qualifier. Yet after this gritty 1-0 victory in September 2021, Neymar is subjected to the sort of criticism he’s never faced in his career to this point.
For the first time, he’s the target of claims that he’s overweight. He reacts the same way he usually does, via social media.
“Did we play well? No! Did we win? Yes! So f**k it, we continue,” he wrote. “Note: the jersey was a large, I’m already at my normal weight. Next game I’ll get a medium one.” It was a sign that all was not well.
Seven days later, Brazil’s totemic No.10 (presumably wearing the correct-sized shirt) inspired the Selecao to a dominant 2-0 win over Peru. In true Neymar style he got three opposition players booked in the first half, laid on Everton Ribeiro’s opening goal and found the back of the net himself to become his country’s all-time top-scorer in World Cup qualifiers. Celebrating his strike, he lifted his shirt to show his physique.
He didn’t stop there, either. In a post-game interview, Neymar hit out at the suggestions that he was out of shape.
“I don’t know what else I have to do with this shirt for people to respect Neymar,” he third-personned. “It has become normal now –
