Whenever Neymar gets involved in a controversy, it's impossible not to remember Brazilian coach René Simões' warning after Santos-Atletico GO 2010: "We're creating a monster."
Simões warned us about Neymar 10 years ago. AFP
Neymar has been collecting in his 10 years as a professional, titles and goals, as well as series of controversies. The Brazilian star attracted the spotlight many times for situations unrelated to his unquestionable talent.
At the age of 27, Neymar has well-established himself in international football. He is one of the biggest names in the sport, winning titles and breaking records, a marketing giant, but also a very controversial figure.
This week, Brazil and PSG number 10 got involved in another controversy. This time, by attacking a Rennes fan after the final of the French Cup.
Whenever Neymar gets involved in a controversy, Brazilian coach René Simões's warning comes to mind, who was an Atlético-GO coach at the time. Was it some kind of prophecy?
On September 15, 2010, Santos and Atlético-GO took to the pitch in Vila Belmiro for round 22 of the Brazilian League. Neymar's Santos, led by Dorival Junior, won 4-2, but what remained of that game was one of the first controversies in his career.
Thirty-nine minutes into the second half, with the match already resolved for 'El Pez', Neymar was brought down by Daniel Marques inside the area, the referee immediately awarded a penalty. The then Villa number '11' asked to take the penalty, but was it decided by the coach that Marcel would step up to take the penalty.
Neymar didn't like the coach's decision at all and started a heated discussion (including insults) with Dorival. The Villa boy stopped listening to the coach's shouting at the edge of the pitch, and did not want to pass the ball on to his team-mates.
At the end of the match, the rival team's coach, René Simões, commented on the event and gave an evaluation that always comes to the mind when Neymar 'steps on the ball'. Have we created a monster?
"Few times have I seen someone so badly educated in a sporting way, I've always worked with young people and I've never seen anything like it. It's time for someone to educate that kid or we're going to create a monster. We are creating a monster in Brazilian football," René said after the match.
"In the name of this art of playing football, of which I am a supporter, we are creating a monster. We have to make a dossier for the number of times he plays, the television has to see", at that time the then Dragon coach warned us about the exact problem that Neymar presented in the World Cup in Russia, the constant simulations.
"What this guy has done is unacceptable. Something has to be done, Neymar has to be polite. In this way, he will become a monster. Neymar, nowadays, is not a great player, he is a project of all that. I was disappointed with football after that episode," he said.
"I've seen the kids saying they don't understand what he did, we can't let that happen," he said
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