Neymar said Brazil need to "learn to suffer" after their 2-0 win over Mexico on Monday booked a World Cup quarter-final place.
Neymar said Brazil need to "learn to suffer" after their 2-0 win over Mexico on Monday booked a World Cup quarter-final place.
The five-time champions overcame a tricky start to the last-16 tie, as second-half goals from Neymar and Roberto Firmino sealed a deserved victory and a last-eight clash with either Belgium or Japan, who play later in the day.
"We have to learn to suffer. It was a very difficult match, we knew the quality of our opponents,” said Neymar.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward stabbed home a low cross from Willian in the 51st minute to score his sixth World Cup goal and second of this year's tournament, but first in a knockout match.
Chelsea winger Willian was a constant threat to the Mexican defence with his driving runs, as he continues to improve after a disappointing display in the opening 1-1 draw with Switzerland.
"I'm very happy with my performance but even more so with the team's victory," he said.
Brazil are bidding for a record-extending sixth world title after their semi-final humiliation four years ago against Germany on home soil, but would face a tough test against a talented Belgium outfit should the Red Devils get past Japan.
Earlier, Neymar showed to a star could turn into a villain in a span of sometime. Just when the fans were praising him for his goal, he turned the same fans against him with his play acting when Mexico’s Miguel Layun tackled him.
Layun would have hardly stepped on Neymar’s foot but the way the later went flat on the ground and rolled in agony seemed like he was shot in the leg.
Former England international Alan Shearer was left fuming, he said: "FFS Neymar man. STOP IT. We are fed up of it."
Meanwhile, 1986 World Cup Golden Boot winner Gary Lineker tweeted: "Neymar has the lowest pain threshold of any player in World Cups since Opta stats began."
Ahead of the match against Brazil, Mexican Captain Andrés Guardado, who was playing his fourth World Cup hjad said,” We all know who Neymar is, but it isn't up to me or my team to judge him, but the referees and FIFA," he said. "Now there's VAR they need to watch his style and know how to manage it.
We know he likes to exaggerate fouls, throw himself on the ground a lot, but that's his style of play and the person who needs to stop that is the referee, not us."
(With PTI inputs)
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