Tearful Brazil star Neymar says he is prepared to set aside the historical rivalry between South America’s two footballing heavyweights as he wants four-time world footballer of the year Lionel Messi to win the World Cup when Argentina meets Germany in Sunday’s final.
Neymar revealed he will be supporting arch-rivals Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final.
The injured star, who was left with a broken vertebra following Camilo Zuniga’s challenge in the Seleção’s quarter-final win over Colombia, missed his country’s 7-1 humiliation at the hands of the Germans.
But in a tearful interview which was screened across the nation, the Barcelona striker controversially told fans: “I wish good luck to Germany but I want my two friends Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano to win it.
“Messi deserves to win this World Cup for all he has done for football.
“I’ll be supporting him as a friend and as a colleague.”
“Messi’s history in the sport is so important, he has won a lot of trophies and I will be cheering for him,” said Neymar.
“He is a friend, he is my team-mate and I wish him luck.”
The 22-year-old, who scored four goals four his country at the tournament they hosted, plays alongside the pair at Barcelona.
He is due to return to the Catalan club on August 5, to continue his recovery from the back injury that, he claims, could have left him wheelchair-bound – had it been 2cm lower.
The striker was flown to Sao Paulo by helicopter following the Colombia game, but returned to visit the squad – and give a reassuring hug to under-fire boss Luiz Felipe Scolari – ahead of Saturday’s third-place play-off against the Netherlands.
