Those who criticise Neymar are “weak” – Dani Alves

Brazilian defender Dani Alves has hit back at Neymar‘s critics, stating that those that target him with criticism are “weak.”

Despite scoring twice in Russia this summer at the World Cup, Neymar ultimately had a disappointing tournament with Brazil, who went out to Belgium in the quarter-finals.

Neymar’s playacting was a talking point among the football community, with his repetitive over-reactions drawing criticism from many.

However, Alves – who missed the tournament through injury – has come out in support of his international teammate, stating that Neymar is one the very best and that it is too easy for people to criticise him.

“I think so [it was over the top],” Alves told reporters (via Goal).

“Everything Neymar does turns into news. If he gets emotional, they criticise. If he colours his hair, they criticise. I want to see these people in Neymar’s place.

“We have to focus on the things that make us mature and that help us become a real man. The rest is only silly things.

“I wish everyone who talked about Neymar would do things like he does here [the auction event].

“Criticising is a weapon of the weak. I believe that we football players always strive to do the best for the group and for our team-mates.

“Those who know Neymar know his great quality and how special he is. And I insist again, we have to take care of players like that, they illuminate football. It’s players like him that make football have any sense.

“But as I said, criticising Neymar and players of that level is easy; what’s difficult is to do what they do.”

It was a competition to forget for arguably the best three players in the world, with both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi falling short of expectations with Portugal and Argentina respectively.

Neymar’s Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe had an infinitely better campaign than his rivals, lifting the World Cup trophy with France after defeating Croatia 4-2 in the final.

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