Brazil's Ronaldo Concedes He 'Expected' More From Neymar After World Cup Theatrics
Brazilian legend Ronaldo has admitted he 'expected' more from Neymar at the World Cup after the Paris Saint-Germain star failed to ignite in Russia.
The 26-year-old had been tipped to lead the way for Brazil in the summer tournament but he struggled to find his rhythm on his return from injury, where he managed just two goals as the Selecao were knocked out by Belgium at the quarter final stage.
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Neymar received hefty criticism for his performances in Russia, but Ronaldo sympathised with his predicament after he entered the competition off the back of a lengthy rehabilitation period for a fractured metatarsal sustained in February.
"We all expected more from him because he's the star of the team. I don't know if it was because of the operation he had on his foot or another problem but I saw him as quite limited on the pitch," Ronaldo told SporTV, via the Daily Mail.
"To arrive at a World Cup following an operation and three months out is complicated. To play the first match as if nothing had happened is difficult.
"He needs to learn from this World Cup. He's 25 or 26. He's young, talented and there's a lot of responsibility on his shoulders."
The 26-year-old was also subject to widespread condemnation for his theatrics throughout the tournament which saw him spend what felt like an eternity rolling on the floor - a part of his game Ronaldo revealed that he has previously had words with him over.
He added: "I spoke with him about this a while ago. Five years ago I asked him why he did it and he told me it was so the person fouling him couldn't do more damage."
