Neymar hit back at his critics after scoring his team’s second goal in Brazil’s 2-0 win against Costa Rica on Friday.
The PSG striker netted deep into stoppage time after Philippe Coutinho had given the five-time champions the lead just moments earlier.
When the final whistle was blown, Neymar was broke down in tears and later took to social media to hit out at his critics.
“Not everyone knows what I went through to get here,” he posted on Twitter and Instagram.
“Even parrots can talk, but walking the walk… not everyone does it. I cried out of happiness, overcoming, grit and desire to win.
“Things were never easy in my life, so why would they be now? The dream – no, the OBJECTIVE – is still alive. Congratulations for the performance, guys.”
Nem todos sabem o q passei pra chegar até aqui,falar até papagaio fala, agora fazer...O choro é de alegria, de superação, de garra.
— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) June 22, 2018
Na minha vida as coisas nunca foram fáceis, não seria agora né! O sonho continua, sonho não, OBJETIVO!
Parabéns pela partida rapaziada,vcs são FODA pic.twitter.com/dgdtK2zKei
However, there is concern in Brazil that Neymar’s tears may be an indication he may find it difficult to handle the pressure as the tournament progresses.
Brazil’s biggest paper, O Globo, said: “It’s not normal to cry in the second game of a World Cup.
“A team needs to demonstrate mental strength, not fragility. Genuine or not, Neymar’s crying is worrying.”