Neymar dismissed criticism he received during the World Cup as an attempt to influence his attitude.GETTY IMAGES
Neymar reportedly earned over £200,000 ($262,600) for a 90-second video in which he apologizes to the Brazilian people for appearing like a "spoilt kid" on the football pitch, according to Matt Roper of THE SUN. Neymar has been widely criticized for his "theatrics and frequent dives on the pitch." Neymar's "apparently heartfelt pledge" to accept criticism and "vow to bounce back" was released on Sunday. But the video "spectacularly backfired" after sources told Brazilian newspaper O Globo that the player had been paid "well over a million Brazilian reals" -- more than £200,000 -- to read the text, prepared by advertising company Grey. The source said, "Grey is Gillette’s ad agency for the whole world and has been with the brand for years. The idea was approved very quickly, and Neymar’s team also liked the idea." Social media users "also lambasted the video," criticizing the player for releasing an "artificial" statement through a sponsor "after refusing to face the media" since leaving Russia. Sports commentator Daniel Perrone wrote, "Imagine the worker who gets up at 5am on Monday morning hear one of the planet's highest paid footballers complaining about the hardships of his life. And earning money for it? It's not going to go down well" (THE SUN, 7/31).
