Neymar getting comforted by Ivan Perisic’s son will undoubtedly be the most heartfelt moment in the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
After Croatia eliminated five-time World Cup winners Brazil in the quarterfinals, the star player for Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar, broke down in tears.
But as soon as his opponent’s son went over to hug him, he was grinning once more.
After Croatia defeated the Selecao on penalties to get to the semifinals, Perisic had already consoled Neymar. Leo, his son, then imitated him.
After the final whistle, a young player ran onto the field toward Neymar and his other startled teammates.
Leo pats Neymar on the shoulder to attract his attention and the mourning Brazilian icon turned his back to him.
Then Perisic’s son appears to offer him some consoling words, prompting the two to embrace in a positive exchange.
Leo returned off the field after Neymar has ruffled his hair, and the Brazilian star then walked down to the rest of his team.
Brazil had a 1-0 advantage after extra time, but a late goal from Bruno Petkovic forced a shootout, where Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic once again came through to advance his team to the semifinals.
Since Argentina succeeded in knocking out the Netherlands via penalties late on Friday, Croatia will now face the Lionel Messi-led team in the semifinals.
Recall that despite scoring in overtime, Neymar was unable to help Brazil extend their lead, and they ultimately fell to Croatia on penalties.
Following their historic triumph, Zlatko Dalic’s team invited their family onto the field, where a youngster who was reportedly Ivan Persic’s son using the opportunity to speak with the Brazilian talisman amidst the joyous Croatian scenes.
The Real Madrid starlet Rodrygo missed from 12 yards following a superb save from Dominik Livakovic, which left his teammates with a lot of work to do during the shoot-out.
All four of the European team’s shots were successful before Marquinhos stepped up for Brazil but failed to hit the target.
A shocking 20-year curse has prevented Brazil from defeating a European team in the World Cup knockout stages since the 2002 World Cup final.
While Brazilians were broken and in tears in the center circle, Croatian players went crazy chasing the amazing Livakovic.
Talisman Neymar was left speechless, staring at the ground; afterwards, he was seen sobbing and being comforted by Dani Alves.
Following a breathtaking match in Qatar, Real Madrid colleague Luka Modric consoled the upset winger Rodrygo in a superb display of sportsmanship.
After defeating Brazil for the first time in their history, Croatia advanced to their second straight World Cup semi-final, continuing their magical play at the competition. Since the 2014 tournament, Neymar hasn’t advanced past the final eight with Brazil.
What Next For Neymar?
The Paris Saint-Germain player will be devastated by the outcome as he continues to pursue World Cup glory. By the time the following competition takes place in 2026, he’ll have reached the age of 34. Therefore his chances of taking home the highest international prize is limited.
