Neymar admits exaggerated reactions at World Cup

Neymar has admitted he exaggerated some of his reactions after being fouled during the World Cup in Russia.

The Brazilian also said in a video published Sunday by one of his sponsors that he is now a changed man after all the criticism he received at home and abroad.

"You may think I exaggerate. And sometimes I do exaggerate. But the truth is I suffer on the pitch," Neymar said in the ad.

"You may think I fall too much. But the truth is I did not fall. I fell apart," he said, in a reference to Brazil's quarter-finals elimination against Belgium.

"I took long to accept your criticism. I took long to look at myself in the mirror and become a new man," Neymar said in the ad.

In a sponsor's video broadcast on several Brazilian TV networks, the striker accepts criticism for the first time and promises to pick himself up.

The Brazilian superstar scored two goals in the tournament and was not too disappointing until his team got knocked out by Belgium in the quarterfinals, but fans and players have spoken much more about his theatrics on the pitch, which included dives, rolling and frequent arguing with referees.

"You may think I exaggerate. And sometimes I do exaggerate. But the truth is I suffer on the pitch," Neymar said in the ad.

Since Brazil's elimination, Neymar only spoke about the defeat in Russia via Instagram. In the ad he tried to explain why he did not speak right after the Belgium game, which fostered even more criticism of his behaviour at home.

"When I leave without giving interviews it is not because I only want the victory laurels. It is because I still haven't learned to disappoint you. When I look impolite, it is not because I am a spoiled kid. It is because I have not learned how to be frustrated," he said.

Neymar said his football style is akin to a boy's that "sometime charms the world, sometimes irritates the whole world." "I fight to keep that boy alive inside of me, but not on the pitch," he said.

"You may think I fall too much," Neymar continued. "But the truth is I did not fall. I fell apart," he said, in a reference to Brazil's quarterfinal elimination against Belgium. "That hurts more than any step on an operated ankle."

The piece ends with Neymar's pledge to be a new man less than a month after Brazil was knocked out of the World Cup.

"I took long to accept your criticism. I took long to look at myself in the mirror and become a new man," Neymar said. "I fell, but only who falls can pick himself up."

Neymar ends his ad asking fans to make a choice.

"You can keep casting stones. Or throw these stones away and help me stand. When I stand, all of Brazil stands with me," he said

credit: .stuff.co.nz