Video: I'll be rooting for Messi-Neymar

11 July 2014 06:36 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 5 Bookmark

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An emotional Neymar cried as he recalled the challenge that ended his World Cup on Thursday and said he felt blessed not to have ended up in a wheelchair.

Neymar has admitted he will be supporting Brazil’s bitter rivals Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final.

He said: ‘I wish good luck to Germany but I want my two friends Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano to win it.

‘Messi deserves to win this World Cup for all he has done for football.

‘I’ll supporting him as a friend and as a colleague.’

Neymar plays alongside Messi and Mascherano for Barcelona and will return to the Catalan club on August 5 to continue his recovery.

Colombia defender Juan Zuniga kneed the Brazil forward in the back in the closing stages of the hosts' 2-1 quarter-final victory, ruling him out of the tournament before the team's traumatic 7-1 semi-final defeat by Germany.

"I won't say he came to injure me, I don't what was going on in his head but everyone who understands football can see that it wasn't a normal challenge," Neymar told reporters at Brazil's base camp just outside Rio de Janeiro.

"When you want to foul someone to stop a game or stop a counter-attack, you kick their ankles, you push, you pull, but the way the ball was falling, it wasn't a normal game situation.

"Many of you say I am a diver and I don't care that you say that. I can defend myself when I can see what's going on around me," he added

"But I can't defend myself from what comes from behind. What defends me in that situation is the rules and I couldn't defend myself from that and I was injured.

"God blessed me," Neymar said, breaking down in tears. "If it had been another two centimetres I could be in a wheelchair today."

Neymar said Zuniga called him the next day to apologise but he stopped short of forgiving his rival for the challenge.

"I don't hate him, I don't hold a grudge," Neymar said. "But I don't feel anything."

Brazil will play the Netherlands in Saturday's third-place playoff and Germany face Argentina in the final on Sunday. (Reuters)

Pix Courtsey AFP

Comments - 5

mollamaari Friday, 11 July 2014 07:33 AM

Don't be a cry baby now. Get ready for the next world cup. Your team made 31 Fouls out of 53 total fouls in the Match with Columbia....in which you injured. Brazil is the highest yellow cards earner in the world cup history.

HBDR

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aneesh Friday, 11 July 2014 01:34 PM

only a superhero can support another super hero... via DM Android App

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The God Father Friday, 11 July 2014 08:17 AM

He is indeed a great soccer player and a gentleman,

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gdj100 Friday, 11 July 2014 09:30 AM

How about Klose! He is the most successful striker in World Cup and perhaps he deserves a better send off than any other player!

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Richie Saturday, 12 July 2014 08:14 AM

cannot understand why the Ref didn't red card the offender?? If Neymar had played against Germany, the result wouldn't have so bad, but still the Deutsche state would have won it as they have some classy goal scorers unlike other teams. I tip them to be the winners in the finals. Gud luck to both teams.

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