--- description: In an ad, the international soccer star addressed his "exaggerated" World Cup falls: "I fell, but only who falls can pick himself up." title: Brazil's Neymar Has an Explanation for His World Cup Antics image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb341ccc5adc14dcb/6989369e929fad145fbf1335/neymar-brazil-world-cup-2018.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 'The Truth Is I Suffer.' Just Let Neymar Explain His Sometimes 'Exaggerated' World Cup Antics  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 30, 2018 4:56 PM CUT  Neymar of Brazil is seen during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Winner Game 53 and Winner Game 54 at Kazan Arena on July 6, 2018 in Kazan, Russia. Neymar of Brazil is seen during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Winner Game 53 and Winner Game 54 at Kazan Arena on July 6, 2018 in Kazan, Russia.Ian MacNicol—Getty Images  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 30, 2018 4:56 PM CUT At the [2018 World Cup](http://time.com/money/5314692/world-cup-2018-players-make/ "undefined") in Russia, Brazil’s [national team](http://time.com/5337568/world-cup-final-soccer-france-croatia/ "undefined") did not make it to the final, despite the presence of star player [Neymar](http://time.com/5333146/neymar-challenge/ "undefined") on their squad. Striker Neymar also came in for criticism during the tournament due to his on-field antics, including what some deemed to be exaggerated falls and “dives” during play. (In fact, his moves became [internet memes](http://time.com/5328519/neymar-stepped-on/ "undefined") widely circulated during the games.) And now — in a Portuguese-language ad sponsored by Gillette — Neymar is finally addressing his World Cup choices. Titled “a new man every day,” the stylized black-and-white video narrated by Neymar sees him reflecting poetically on the critiques that have been leveled his way in what seems to be a public statement to his fans and detractors alike. “You may think I exaggerate. And sometimes I do exaggerate. But the truth is I suffer on the pitch,” the 26-year-old player [explains](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/worldcup/neymar-world-cup-exaggerated-reactions-1.4766493 "undefined") over soaring music. “You may think I fall too much. But the truth is I did not fall. I fell apart… I took long to accept your criticism. I took long to look at myself in the mirror and become a new man. I fell, but only who falls can pick himself up.” He ends with a plea to Brazil to “help me stand.” The World Cup may be over this time, but he still has his role on [Paris’s Saint-Germain](http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11820/11453083/thomas-tuchel-believes-he-has-connection-with-neymar-at-paris-saint-germain "undefined") club team to keep him busy. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5352792/neymar-ad/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5352792/neymar-ad/"},"headline":"'The Truth Is I Suffer.' Just Let Neymar Explain His Sometimes 'Exaggerated' World Cup Antics","datePublished":"2018-07-30T16:56:14.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:54:04.061Z","description":"\"I fell, but only who falls can pick himself up.\"","url":"https://time.com/5352792/neymar-ad/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Sports","World Cup 2018"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb341ccc5adc14dcb/6989369e929fad145fbf1335/neymar-brazil-world-cup-2018.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Raisa Bruner","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb341ccc5adc14dcb/6989369e929fad145fbf1335/neymar-brazil-world-cup-2018.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Brazil v Belgium: Quarter Final - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia","caption":"Brazil v Belgium: Quarter Final - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia","creditText":"Ian MacNicol—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5352792/neymar-ad/","name":"'The Truth Is I Suffer.' Just Let Neymar Explain His Sometimes 'Exaggerated' World Cup Antics"}}]}] ```