The 'Neymar Challenge' Goes Viral, Sending People Rolling in Pretend Pain All Over the World
Brazil's Neymar Jr. is still one of the very best when it comes to international-level football, despite a middling performance for this year's FIFA World Cup. Unfortunately for him, people would rather poke fun at his tendency to fall down in pain and roll on the ground, so much that the act has been called doing a "Neymar."
Now people all over the world, including entire professional football teams, have posted videos of their best impression of Brazil's forward in what is now known as the "Neymar Challenge," according to Time Magazine.
There's no need to be especially skilled in football to do the challenge - all one needs to do is to first shout "Neymar," and then do their best imitation of one of the player's more dramatic displays on the pitch.
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Mexican team Club Tijuana took it one step further by turning it into a race, adding a dimension of physical skill into the challenge. Their version, posted on Twitter on Sunday, July 8, featured the team dropping on the pitch and rolling as fast as they can to the net.
As for the Neymar, the Brazilian forward is now out of the competition following a loss to Belgium on Friday, July 6, falling behind on a score of 2-1. While Neymar is out of the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia, he will still be in circulation on social media thanks to his rather dramatic displays during his time there.
Neymar has reportedly spent a total of 14 minutes rolling on the ground during the team's stint in Russia, according to Swiss news outlet RTS. Despite that tidbit, Brazil coach Tite insists that his team's star is not putting on an act.
"If you look, you will see how much he has been participating collectively -- taking back the ball, taking up space. The sense of teamwork, that is the best virtue. All the rest, it is up to you," he said, as quoted by CNN.
