The Selecao forward has spent a lifetime fighting off defenders and seeking protection from referees, but must focus on the big picture in Russia
Neymar sprang up onto one knee and counted them on his fingers.
“One, two, three,” he shouted, in screeching English. He threw his upturned palms to his side and asked the referee’s assistant, “How many more?”
There would be a few more. The Brazil forward was fouled 10 times during his side’s 1-1 draw with Switzerland, the most suffered by a single player since Alan Shearer (11) versus Tunisia in 1998 and as many as five entire teams suffered in total during the first round of World Cup 2018.