MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Neymar backs Bolsonaro over Lula

“When someone has a different opinion, they are attacked by those same people who talk about democracy,” Neymar said after he was criticized for his political preferences

Brazilian football star Neymar has supported incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro for Sunday's elections, which earned him heavy criticism from his country's media, where opposition candidate Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva looks poised to return to the Planalto Palace.

“They talk about democracy and many things, but when someone has a different opinion, they are attacked by those same people who talk about democracy. Try to understand,” tweeted Lionel Messi's Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammate.

In a video posted on TikTok, Neymar smiled and mimicked a song asking people to vote for Bolsonaro, who shared the footballer's video on social media.

Former Brazilian international Walter Casagrande wrote in UOL Esporte that Neymar had “shown all his incoherence, his alienation and his lack of social sensitivity.”

Some media have linked Neymar's political preferences to an alleged benefit received by the PSG man's father to avoid paying R$ 88 million in taxes for activities between 2011 and 2013 when he played for Santos, before moving on to Europe. A Twitter user said Bolsonaro's Brazil suspended an investigation against Neymar for tax evasion “of € 35 million; Today Neymar publishes his support in the elections to the ultra-right Bolsonaro.”- Fonsi Loaiza (@FonsiLoaiza) September 30, 2022.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Neymar had reportedly hinted on social media that he would no longer support Bolsonaro, who is not vaccinated against the coronavirus and who has boasted of not complying with health protocols while the disease was spreading.

Although Bolsonaro has Neymar's endorsement, most Brazilian celebrities have announced they would vote for Lula and even took part in some of the leftwing candidate's campaign meetings.