Neymar leads criticism list following Brazil's World Cup exit
The forward was the most criticized Brazilian player on social media after the team's elimination against Norway in the Round of 16.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Author: Renan Katayama
Forward Neymar emerged as the most criticized Brazil national team player on social media following the team's defeat to Norway in the World Cup Round of 16. A study by Content CO, which analyzed over 2.6 million posts during the match, identified the number 10 as both the most mentioned athlete and the one receiving the highest percentage of negative commentary.
The survey recorded approximately 101,000 mentions of Neymar, significantly higher than the combined figures of other key players like Rayan, Endrick, Vinícius Jr., and Martinelli. According to the data, 39% of the citations involving the forward were negative in tone.
The highest peak of criticism occurred during the penalty kick and the subsequent provocations directed at the Norwegian goalkeeper. Content CO Analysis
Social media users frequently used terms like "arrogant," "shameful," and "clueless" to describe the player's actions. Beyond the penalty incident, head coach Carlo Ancelotti also faced heavy scrutiny. Around 33.5% of the mentions regarding the Italian coach were negative, with fans questioning his tactical choices and squad selection throughout the tournament.
While Neymar led the negative sentiment list, defender Marquinhos and goalkeeper Alisson recorded the highest levels of positive feedback, with 44% and 39% of mentions classified as favorable, respectively.