Neymar, 20, has been fouled a total of 69 times since the start of his season in late January, an average of five times a game. Yet, he insists he is not fazed by the attention.
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“Fouls occur everywhere in the world,” Neymar told Lance! on Friday. “Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo also suffer from fouls.
“To be able to stop them, you can only foul them. It is not only me. Look at Lucas at São Paulo, he has suffered in this Paulistão. I do not think of leaving Brazil simply because of being fouled.
Despite the close attention he receives, Neymar has yet to pick up a serious injury in his career and revealed to reporters his secret.
“My father, who was also a player, taught me a trick to use in practice and games. When you see that their face is ‘strong’, you jump!”
The subject of player aggression and fouling is a hot-topic in Brazil currently, after Neymar’s treatment in the Copa Libertadores against Juan Aurich.
Neymar was speaking at the unveiling of a new sponsorship deal with Volkswagen, at Santos’ training-ground.
The tie-up will last until 2016 and Neymar was presented with a luxury new car by the German manufacturers.
