Neymar reveals why he copied Vinicius Jr's controversial UCL celebration
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
The Santos star scored a brace against CR Vasco da Gama.
After scoring two goals to help Santos FC defeat Vasco da Gama 2-1 in the Brazilian Serie A, Neymar has once again emerged as a hero on the field. However, his gesture towards Vinicius Jr. was more noteworthy than the statistics he displayed.
The Brazilian attacker Vinicius Jr grabbed the show with his celebration when he danced during Real Madrid‘s UEFA Champions League play-off match against SL Benfica.
Vinicius’s criticism of Gianluca Prestianni’s alleged racist remark during the first leg playoff game caused a stir in the world of football, leading to a suspension for the latter in the second leg and an official UEFA investigation.
In allusion to Vinícius Júnior’s anti-racism position and his recent celebrations with Real Madrid in European competition, Neymar performed a quiet gesture after scoring, followed by dancing next to the corner flag.
Neymar reveals why he imitated Vinicius’ dance celebration
Neymar explained the significance of the celebration at the conclusion of the game:
“The little dance was for Vini Jr. I told him when he scored the 1st goal there in Portugal. If you score a goal at the Bernabéu do the same celebration. Because if I score a goal, I’ll do the same.”
Since taking over the national team in May of last year, Carlo Ancelotti, the current manager of Brazil, has not yet called up Neymar. Rather, the Italian manager has made it a point to provide young players with chances to shine, such as João Pedro and Estêvão.
Naturally, Neymar’s fitness issues also kept Ancelotti from enlisting Brazil’s all-time top scorer. The former FC Barcelona icon is now healthy and able to score goals at what may be the ideal moment.
Why did Neymar dance near the corner flag?
He wanted to show solidarity towards his compatriot Vinicius.
What happened to Vinicius after he danced near the corner flag?
He faced racist taunts.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.