FC Barcelona striker Neymar posted this on his Instagram account:
In the post, the 23-year-old said: "I was born to be happy, not perfect."
Neymar hasn’t been able to escape critics’ radars since his blunder at the Copa America 2015 in Chile. After a scuffle with Jeison Murillo and Carlos Bacca of Colombia, referee Guillermo Osses issued the Barca star with a red card. This move apparently irked the Brazilian captain as he waited for Osses in the tunnel where referees and players ext.
Due to Neymar’s actions, CONMEBOL deemed the player deserving of a four-match suspension, rendering the Brazilian striker unable to play for the rest of the Copa and the first two games of the qualifying round for the 2018 World Cup.
Since this incident, Neymar has been hit by criticism--mostly regarding his immaturity that became evident during the high-pressure moments of the Copa America. He was appointed as the captain of the Selecao, after the new coach Dunga removed Thiago Silva from the position. Thiago suffered great backlash after his breakdown during the 2014 World Cup, where Brazil suffered a devastating 7X1 loss to the eventual champions Germany, as reported by USAToday.
Now, Neymar’s actions during the offseason are put in the spotlight, particularly the star’s choice to spend his vacation in Las Vegas, a well-known party city. The 23-year-old was captured very drunk in a video that has gone viral since posting. This has sparked renewed discussion regarding the Barca striker's maturity issues.
Neymar will reportedly stay in Las Vegas until August, following a vacation extension granted to his by the Blaugrana. He and club-mate Lionel Messi will be back in Barcelona in August, in time for the training season and openings.