Brazil head coach Tite admitted Neymar has not been at his best during the World Cup but defended the star's performances, saying he has been "participating collectively".
The 26-year-old was widely criticised for his theatrical reaction when he claimed that Mexico's Miguel Layun stood on his ankle in Brazil's 2-0 last-16 victory, but Tite previously said he supported Neymar's view of the incident.
He reiterated his stance in blunt terms ahead of Brazil's quarter-final against Belgium and sung Neymar's praises for the less-talked-about qualities he brings to the Selecao.
"I've already spoken about Neymar and I've been very specific about it, about what happened," Tite told reporters ahead of Friday's clash.