Lionel Messi made headlines across the soccer realm after clinching his 8 Ballon d’Or of his illustrious career. Brazil’s president sparked a major controversy after highly regarding the rival nation’s icon over Neymar Jr. Meanwhile, the Brazilian superstar was rumored to have issued a response to the president, which was considered fake after it gained attention in social media.

Previously, the president had congratulated La Pulga for winning the Golden Ball during a live broadcast. The 78-year-old politician remarked that Lionel Messi serves as a genuine role model for Brazil’s emerging star. He subtly criticized Neymar for not elevating Brazil’s talent level, raising eyebrows among the political rivals.

Did Neymar needle the president’s regard on Lionel Messi?

A video began to spread online, which was labeled as Neymar’s response to the comment made by Mr. Lula da Silva. The clip ignited controversy as it was seen as the PSG star making a bold statement to the Brazilian President. The clip went viral, stating, “If you go out partying, you don’t make a good player. Cachaça doesn’t make a good president”, as translated by DeepL.

According to reports, the controversial clip was deemed to be inauthentic and not an actual response from the Brazilian star. Rumatos.org verified the claim as untrue since the Blaugrana icon never used social media to confront the President’s statement regarding La Pulga. Meanwhile, the president’s remark garnered significant attention among soccer fans after his indirect criticism of Neymar. Mr. Lula’s political opponent seized upon this notable opportunity to counter his remark, commending the Brazilian icon’s impact and contribution to soccer.

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The political controversy after Mr. Lula da Silva’s comment on La Pulga

Neymar failed to live up to the expectations of the fans after being plagued with injuries in his career. Recently, the Al Hilal winger suffered an ACL injury that will keep him out of the rest of the season. The Brazilian President did not consider him as the country’s finest talent to uphold the legacy of their soccer icons, whereas he said, praising Messi, “It is not possible that Messi does not serve as an example to Brazilian players”. On this note, Flavio Bolsonaro, a member of the Federal Senate of Brazil, responded to the indirect allegations with his heap of appreciation for Neymar Jr and his emphatic performances over the years.

Bolsonaro remarked in X, “Brazil is full of couch specialists who don’t understand anything about football. There are people out there talking about being an example for the country, but they are not an example even for cachaceiros.” He also remarked, “Speaking of a star and a great Brazilian idol, I remembered this goal from @neymarjr in the 14/15 Champions League final when Barcelona won over Juventus (3-1). Great goal!”. Amidst such intense political turmoil, this provided essential backing for Neymar as he grappled with the challenges of recovering from his injury.

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Do you think Neymar should express his side of the president’s admiration for Lionel Messi? Comment and let us know.