Neymar hits out at critics; says 'I went to the World Cup to play, not to get kicked'

Brazil megastar Neymar admits that he could not look at a ball after his nation’s heart breaking quarter-final exit at the FIFA World Cup 2018 and confirmed that he will be staying with his club Paris Saint Germain following constant speculation with a move to Real Madrid.

“I wouldn’t go as far as to say I didn’t want to play again but, I didn’t want to see a ball, or to see any more football played,” 26-year-old Neymar told AFP in an interview on Saturday.

“I was in mourning, I was really sad about it, but sadness passes, I have my son, my family, my friends and they don’t want to see me moping around. I’ve got more reason to be happy than sad,” added Neymar.

When asked about rumours in Spain linking him with a transfer to Real Madrid, the forward said “that’s all speculation from the press.”

 “The guys who come up with these stories seem to know more about my life than I do. I won’t respond to this type of question because nothing happened,” he said.

The PSG forward then insisted that he does not feel any pressure while playing on ground, whether for his club or country.

"No, all the great players feel pressure,” he said.

“It’s true that when it comes to me, there are double standards. I have been aware of this responsibility, not only for Brazil, but also in club fotball, since I was 17, 18 years old.”

The former Barcelona forward then hit out at the critics following a barrage of criticism for theatrical rolling during the Wolrld Cup and said he should have been better protected.

“People were faster to criticise the one being fouled than the one doing the fouling,” he insisted.

“I went to the World Cup to play, to beat the opposition, not to get kicked. The criticism of me was exaggerated, but I’m a big boy, I’m used to dealing with this kind of thing “And I can’t be the referee and play at the same time, but there are times I wish I could,” he said.