Neymar, a star for Paris Saint-Germain, has come under fire from several fans across the World for missing out on Pele’s burial.
Pele passed away at the age of 82, it was revealed last week. A statement from his family read:
“Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today.”
“Love, love and love, forever.”
Neymar paid respect to Pele on Instagram after hearing of his passing. He wrote: “Before Pele, ’10’ was just a number.” “I read this sentence somewhere, at some point in my life. But this beautiful sentence is incomplete. I would say that before Pele, football was just a sport. Pele changed everything.”
“He turned football into art, into entertainment. He gave a voice to the poor, to blacks and above all he gave visibility to Brazil. Football and Brazil have raised their status thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will remain. Pele is ETERNAL!”
Many people anticipated Neymar to attend Pele’s burial given that he is currently considered to be the biggest star in Brazilian football.
After deciding to practice with PSG in France rather than go to Brazil, Neymar has already come under fire in his own nation.
Brasil Jose Luiz Datena, the host of Urgente, criticized Neymar, saying: “If Neymar wanted to be liberated, he arrived.
“Neymar could very well have pressured PSG to come here. He has already pressed the club several times to come to parties, why not ask PSG to say goodbye to Pele? I think Neymar, as a Brazilian player, had an obligation to come and see Pele’s coffin to say goodbye to him. It was important for Brazilian football.”
Neymar Sr., Neymar’s father, said: “Today is to support the family, we have lost a lot. He inspired so many people and the sport, he got us here today. He has inspired all generations, he has always been a reference. “That’s why my son asked me to be here instead. To support the family. We know what it is to lose someone and we have not only lost an athlete, we have lost a citizen, the person Pele. No, Neymar is not going to come.”
Pele’s funeral is ongoing in Santos, the same City that Neymar got famous. The Brazilian legend will be laid to rest later today, January 3.
Neymar Jr
Neymar da Silva Santos Junior, better known by his stage name Neymar, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays forward for both the Brazil national team and Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain. He was born on February 5, 1992.
He is recognized as one of the top players in the world because he is a prolific goal scoring and well-known playmaking.
Neymar is one of the three players that has scored at least 100 goals in three different clubs.
Neymar rose to fame with Santos, when he made his debut in the league at the age of 17.
He assisted the team in capturing two straight Campeonato Paulista titles, a Copa do Brasil, and the 2011 Copa Libertadores, Santos’ first since 1963.
In 2011 and 2012, the Brazilian star won the South American Footballer of the Year award twice. He then moved to Europe to join Barcelona.
He won the continental treble – La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League while playing for Barcelona’s MSN attacking trio, which also included Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez.
The following year, in 2015–16, he completed a domestic double. Neymar moved to PSG in 2017 for a transfer fee of €222 million, making him the most expensive player ever. His motivation was to serve as a talisman at the club level.
Neymar and Pelé are the top two goal scorers for their national team. The both players have scored 77 goals for Brazil. Neymar made his debut at the age of 18.
He had a significant role in Brazil’s win at the 2011 South American Youth Championship, when he finished as the tournament’s top scorer. He also won a silver medal for Brazil in the men’s football competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
