Neymar Jr is one of the best soccer players of all time. The 30-year-old Brazilian superstar is best known for his skills and intricate style of dribbling. Over the years, lots of great soccer stars have fallen prey to Neymar’s tricks and skills. However, a recent video of Neymar has resurfaced on the Internet that has shocked soccer fans.
Anytime Neymar Jr steps on the pitch, the opposition defender is always in for a bad time. Over the years, during his time in Santos, Barcelona, and PSG, Neymar has always showcased his world-class dribbling ability. However, during the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League semi-final clash between PSG and Manchester City, the Brazilian talisman had a rather un-Neymar-like moment on the pitch.
Ten years ago today, @neymarjr scored a Puskas winner 🤩
(via @SantosFC)pic.twitter.com/CYeBrIMHPg
— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 27, 2021
PSG lost the first leg of the semi-final against City with a score of 1-2 at the Parc des Princes. However, PSG was still hoping for a comeback in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium. The incident took place in the latter stages of the second half when PSG was already trailing 2-0. To make matters worse, PSG forward Angel Di Maria was sent off for a rash challenge on City midfielder Fernandinho.
Neymar collected the ball and immediately found himself surrounded by the City players. Normally, he would have attempted to dribble around the City players to either score or create a goal. However, this time, rather uncharacteristically, the PSG star waited for a few seconds and proceeded to pass the ball back to his defender. Nevertheless, it’s a common thing in soccer for a forward to pass the ball back in cases where has no option to pass the ball up front.
Fans react to Neymar Jr’s uncharacteristic moment on the pitch
Fans were left in disbelief when Neymar Jr passed the ball back to his defenders instead of trying to dribble the opposition. As the video has resurfaced on YouTube, fans have provided hilarious reactions and comments.
One fan commented, “Yes, 911? It’s just that Neymar…He’s… Passing the ball.” Another fan commented, “I miss prime Neymar so much,” while one said, “Hey Neymar would never do that.” One user even went on to mock Neymar, saying “His worst nightmare in that match facing (Riyad) Mahrez.”
However, some loyal fans defended the PSG star from the trolls. One user said, “A good player knows when to dribble, not every time he must dribble, come on guys.”
This is true in soccer, as sometimes, players do pass the ball back not because they can’t dribble but rather because passing the ball would be the more sensible option. Often, coaches get angry at soccer players when they lose possession while dribbling, and therefore, Neymar chose to do the more mature thing.
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