ATLANTA, GEORGIA—A highly respected website that specializes in football statistics considers Brazilian soccer superstar Neymar as the most fouled soccer player in Europe.
The website BeSoccer Pro revealed the Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil international has been fouled 1040 times since 2016.
Neymar’s PSG teammate and Argentina captain Lionel Messi is second in the ranking with 839 fouls, followed by Torino’s Andrea Belotti and Manchester City’s Jack Grealish, who are both at the receiving end of 747 each.
The report looked at official games at club and national teams from the top five European leagues — England, Germany, Spain, France, and Italy.
Earlier, Neymar is hopeful he can play in Major League Soccer (MLS) once his contract with PSG ends in June 2025.
Neymar said he prefers to play in MLS than return to Brazil once his PSG contract ends.
“I’d love to play in the U.S. actually. I’d love to play there at least for a season,” Neymar said.
Earlier, Neymar hoped that his forthcoming Netflix documentary about his life will help people get to know him and like him better. Neymar said the documentary which would be released later this month will show his life story on and off the soccer field.
“Those who know me, know who I am and that’s what matters to me,” Neymar said.
“As for those who don’t know me and just speak bad things about me, I just put them aside, but I hope they can still watch this documentary and hopefully it can change their idea or the image they have of me, and I hope they can learn to like me … even a little!,” Neymar added.
Neymar is hoping for a solid 2022 since 2021 is his worst performance as a member of the PSG.
Neymar used to be a beats in Ligue 1 with incredible stats, averaging almost a goal per game (56 in 70 matches in his first four seasons in France) and being involved in more than a goal per game (87 goals and assists over that same period).
However, after a quarter of the 2021-22 season, his stats paint a very different story.
One goal in six league games and 495 minutes played, with two assists and only three big chances created overall.
The struggles of Neymar are also pointed as one of the top reasons why PSG is struggling this year.
