In the moments following Paris Saint-Germain’s thrilling win over Borussia Dortmund to reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2016, Neymar Jr. was overcome with emotion.
NeYmAr DoEsN’t CaRe AbOuT PsG. (🎬@allabout_neymar) pic.twitter.com/U3AdGHR1EY
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) March 13, 2020
Cameras followed Neymar as he pumped his fists and screamed out of pure joy. There were also images of the PSG forward breaking down in tears several times. This is a player who has featured in a Champions League final and won it, but last Wednesday’s result felt like so more.
Neymar in tears 🔥
PSG to the quarter finals!! #PSGBVB pic.twitter.com/YSSFn73kSJ— SMD WORLDWIDE 🔌🎸🦅 (@__tommyk_) March 11, 2020
Neymar in tears after achieving PSG's qualification for the Champions' League quarter-finals tonight. (RMC) pic.twitter.com/aT3x88qzsu
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) March 11, 2020
Since joining PSG in 2017 from FC Barcelona, Neymar has been the most scrutinized footballer on the planet. His world-record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain opened him up to such abuse.
For years, Neymar has had to listen to constant noise from the media talking about how his decision to leave Spain was a mistake because he’s failed to deliver a Champions League title at PSG.
Critics gloss over the fact that he’s been seriously injured the past two seasons and that, you know, the Champions League is really hard to win no matter how wealthy a club is.
This is why Neymar was reduced to tears after the final whistle against Dortmund and PSG’s place in the next round was confirmed. It was the first time Neymar featured in the second leg of a knockout stage match for PSG in the Champions League and he scored a critical goal.
Through the injuries, transfer rumors, memes, and criticism, Neymar finally took a big step towards accomplishing the goal he set when he made the decision to sign for PSG. That’s why we saw so much emotion from the 28-year-old.
In a recent article from Le Parisien, those close to Neymar confirmed that the tears he shed were because he “absolutely wanted to succeed with PSG” and that he is determined to give 200 percent of himself because PSG has everything needed to finish on top of Europe.
Neymar’s performance and effort against Dortmund can not only lead PSG to a Champions League title (if the tournament resumes), but it could also help turn around the negative narrative that has plagued his career since he put on a PSG kit.
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