Neymar under fire after World Cup 'mea culpa' advert

Neymar's decision to use a sponsored advert to admit he sometimes over-reacted to fouls at the World Cup has backfired, with Brazilian marketing experts saying it had made the Paris Saint-Germain striker's image even worse.

Under the title 'A New Man Every Day,' Sunday's video was backed by personal care products maker Gillette and broadcast on several Brazilian TV networks.

"You may think I exaggerate. And sometimes I do exaggerate. But the truth is I suffer on the pitch," Neymar said in the advert, referring to the constant fouls he received at the World Cup.

"I took long to accept your criticism. I took long to look at myself in the mirror and become a new man."
"He gave some interviews, but did not admit his exaggerations then. Now he has hidden behind a TV commercial to do that. This was great for the sponsor, after all we are talking about the brand. But it was not good for Neymar, who now has an even bigger image crisis to handle."
"You cursed at me when I made mistakes, you screamed when I didn't listen," he said in the ad. "You know who I am. Only another happy boy playing with his ball."
"It is time for you to hire a professional to take care of your career. You are too valuable to be treated like that."