Neymar has been slammed for appearing in a viral video accepting an invitation from controversial Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Israel.
Neymar is one of the few sportspeople in Brazil to be an open supporter of Bolsonaro, who has been described as the “Donald Trump of Brazil”.
Video Credit: Golders/@jairbolsonaro
In the video, Bolsonaro can be seen standing side-by-side with Netanyahu and the Brazilian leader says: “Hello Neymar, hello (Gabriel) Medina, directly from here in Israel, good luck to you, the pleasure is ours.”
Gabriel Medina is a professional surfer and friend of Neymar’s.
Netanyahu then adds: “I repeat that, please come to Israel. You’re both invited Neymar and Medina, bring everyone with you to Israel, Jerusalem waits for you.”
The video then cuts to Neymar and he says: “Hello Bibi (Netanyahu) and Bolsonaro, thanks for inviting us. Israel, we’re coming.”
Medina then says: “Hello Bibi (Netanyahu) and Bolsonaro, thanks for inviting us to go to Israel and Israel we’re coming, thank you so much.”
The video has gone viral with over 1.18 million views online and netizens were quick to criticise the clip.
‘Enrique’ commented: “That Neymar is a sh*t. Neymar you are a sh*t, retire now you disgrace.”
User ‘gg albuquerque’ wrote: “13 million people unemployed and the president is recording a video for a footballer and a playboy surfer.”
While ‘Marcio’ added: “Neymar and Medina, are you serious?!”
Bolsonaro has been a controversial figure in Brazilian politics for years, once telling congresswoman Maria do Rosario he “wouldn’t rape her” because she was “ugly” and saying in a Playboy interview that he would rather his son “died in an accident” than were gay.
Netenyahu’s Israel has been criticised for killing civilians in recent shelling in the Gaza Strip.
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Story By: Alex Cope, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder,Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
