Brazilian star Neymar may not have claimed the World Cup trophy, but he certainly dominated the meme wars, where everything from his flopping to his hair was dissected.
Now, in a new Portuguese-language ad from Gillette, the controversial player offers an explanation — of sorts — for the 14 minutes he spent rolling on the pitch.
“When I act like a brat, it isn’t because I’m a spoiled child but because I still haven’t learned to deal with my frustrations,” Neymar says in the ad.
He also admits that sometimes he does exaggerate his on-pitch falls, but says that he also suffers, adding, “the truth is I did not fall … I fell apart.”
The ad ends with Neymar seeming to apologize, saying, “You can keep throwing rocks at me, or you can throw your rocks away and help me get up. Because when I do get up, buddy, the whole country gets up with me.”
Fan reaction was mixed when Neymar himself tweeted out the ad. Some rooted for the player to live up to his words, but others still responded by calling him an “actor” and a “faker,” noting that it might take some time for Neymar to win back any hearts.
While the next World Cup isn’t until 2022 in Qatar, Neymar also plays for French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain, so he’ll have plenty of time to prove he won’t, uh, flip-flop on his promise.
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