This just in: Neymar is really, really good at soccer.
Gary Lineker, who holds England’s record for World Cup finals goals, thinks the histrionics detracted from Neymar’s blinding talent.
“Neymar has the lowest pain threshold of any player in World Cups since Opta stats began,” Lineker tweeted Monday, and he went on to add: “Neymar does play as well as he squeals. Stunningly good footballer.”
Peter Schmeichel, the former goalkeeper for Denmark and father of the team’s present World Cup goalie, called for FIFA to step in when Neymar writhed on the field after Mexico’s Miguel Layun stepped on his ankle. “[Neymar] looked like he was dying,” Schmeichel said on RT. “I thought he’d be put on a stretcher and put in an ambulance and we’d never see him again. I’d strongly appeal to FIFA, this is not something we want to see in football. … We must get rid of this playacting.”
There were more critics, too; Republic of Ireland Manager Martin O’Neil said on ITV that Neymar’s reaction was “absolutely pathetic.”
“I mean the pain threshold of Neymar is just incredibly low, I must admit,” O’Neil said, according to Goal.com. “I wouldn’t like to see him coming out of the doctor’s surgery after getting a flu injection. He’s a top-quality player, he’s a top-quality actor.”
“Neymar is the most expensive player in soccer history, one of the finest players in the world, a national hero, a cultural icon, a potential World Cup champion and an absolute embarrassment,” wrote USA Today’s Martin Rogers.
Longtime NHL player Ray Ferraro, meanwhile, wrote that “the Naymar fish flop is a flat out joke.” And Alan Shearer, another longtime English star, wrote “STOP IT” in a tweet directed at Neymar. “We are fed up of it,” he continued.
The critics would find allies in Mexico’s locker room, after Neymar’s agony caused a lengthy delay during Monday’s match.
“We had control of the match, but to me it is just shameful that so much time could be lost over one player,” Mexico Manager Juan Carlos Osorio said, via ESPN. “The delay for one player was even four minutes, and that is a lesson for even children who play. This should be a game of men and not so much clowning around.”
Sometimes, Neymar legitimately has a point. Sometimes, he’s working the refs. Sometimes, maybe he just wants a breather. Take what happened with Layun. Given that he had foot surgery earlier this year, you had to wonder for a moment: Is he hurt? But no! It’s a miracle! He’s fine.
Fair or foul? 😳 pic.twitter.com/XMJUEzEctz
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 2, 2018
He was so fine, in fact, that he collaborated with teammate Roberto Firmino on a goal that helped seal the victory. And that, in turn, prompted countless Internet jokes.
Neymar's skin cells feels pain more than mere mortals. And gravity
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) July 2, 2018
Really, someone give Neymar an Oscar already!#BRAMEX #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/fKMA3DGSvR
— Deepa Kurup (@deepakurup) July 2, 2018
On a level of 1 to 8 what level Neymar do i feel like? 6 #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/BCXCiEe32u
— ⭐⭐Rodriguez 🇲🇽🇺🇸⭐⭐ (@RRWWE) July 2, 2018
🇲🇽 Mexico fans doing their impressions of Neymar
— The Sportsman (@TheSportsman) July 2, 2018
Pretty accurate to be fair
( 📹 @talkSPORT)#MEX#WorldCup#BRAMEXpic.twitter.com/XCJhojyQ0q
And when he hits the turf, there’s rolling, so very much rolling. It’s so very meme-able, as the world learned again during the group stage, following a Neymar incident against Serbia.
Mbappé correndo e Neymar rolando, os dois a 80km/h #Copa2018😂😜😂 pic.twitter.com/E9Y0tuI9xY
— Metrópoles (@Metropoles) June 30, 2018
Jaja pic.twitter.com/3LRBMFe9DD
— Khaleesita Kарусель. (@KhaleesitaBunny) June 29, 2018
Neymar keeps rolling rolling rolling rolling
— Troll Football Media (@Troll__Footbal) June 30, 2018
(🎥: @rayrod747 )pic.twitter.com/AxekdKq34y
Read more on the World Cup from The Post: