World Cup Daily: Neymar agent slams Big Phil

In The Headlines

Neymar’s World Cup may have ended but the Brazil star is still in the headlines after revealing he thought his career was over too.

The Barcelona star broke down in tears during a press conference, saying he thought he may have been paralysed by the crunching tackle that ruled him out of the disastrous semi-final meeting with Germany.

The final now beckons and both sets of players in the showpiece finale could be advised not to attempt the theatrics seen by Arjen Robben earlier in the tournament after Fifa vice-president called for simulation to be a red card offence.

The Non-England Camp

Despite dishing out the thrashing of all thrashings Germany have called on Brazil’s fans to forgive them for the crushing defeat they inflicted on the Selecao.

Die Mannschaft have pleaded with Brazil fans to get behind them in Sunday’s final at the Maracana in Rio in order to help them beat South American rivals Argentina to lifting the World Cup trophy.

Injury List

Germany’s Mats Hummels and Argentina’s Angel Di Maria both face a race to be fit for the showpiece finale but Javier Mascherano is expected to feature despite a bizarre injury against Holland in the semi-final.

The Barcelona man has revealed that he was hurt in a private place when making a last-ditch tackle against the Oranje.

“I stretched my anus on that move. The pain, it was terrible,” he said.

“I thought I wouldn’t make it … I threw myself into it. I could have been sent off. It could have been a penalty. But anyone could have done that, I had the luck to get there.”

Fan Watch

The sad Brazil fan seen clutching a replica of the trophy as his side crumbled in spectacular fashion has provided the tournament with one of it’s most heartfelt moments.

The fan in question was ridiculed by thousands of overzealous social media fiends but was subsequently seen handing the trophy to a Germany fan and wishing her all the luck for the final.

What a gent.

Brazil’s “saddest fan” Clovis Fernandes pulled off the finest moment of the World Cup https://t.co/H4fgVrHnA3 pic.twitter.com/wpgfTeH85A

— 101 Great Goals (@102greatgoals) July 9, 2014

In Other News

Neymar has been forced to distance himself from comments made by his agent Wagner Ribeiro who has pulled no punches in his dressing down of Selecao boss Phil Scolari.

The agent summed Scolari recent career highlights as managing Portugal and not winning anything, getting sacked by Chelsea, plying his trade in Uzbekistan, getting relegated with Palmeiras and attempting to shirk relegation by asking to quit.

He signed off by saying of the Gene Hackman lookalike “ser velho babaca, arrogante, asqueroso, prepotente e ridiculo”, which basically translates as an “old, arrogant, repulsive, conceited, ridiculous jerk”!

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

Fancy a flutter? Sign up today to claim up to £100 in free bets.