Tokyo caught “Neymar fever” yesterday when the Brazilian superstar jetted into the Japanese capital sporting sunglasses, a baseball cap and designer stubble on a whistle-stop visit to sign a sponsorship deal with a local bed manufacturer.
The 22-year-old Barcelona ace, who is still recovering after fracturing a vertebra last month at the FIFA World Cup, was greeted by 700 screaming fans at Tokyo’s Haneda airport before being whisked off to a television studio, which rolled out the red carpet for his arrival, as if the striker were royalty.
“My back is getting better and I’m hoping to join up with my teammates as soon as possible,” Neymar told reporters later as he perched on a foam mattress the makers claim has secret relaxation properties. “I have to make sure I continue the rehab and get my back fixed properly so I can be at 100 percent. I’m really looking forward to next season.”
Photo: Reuters
Neymar will form part of what is to be arguably the soccer world’s most fearsome strike force, alongside Lionel Messi and new Barca signing Luis Suarez.
“It’s always been my dream to play in Europe and win as many titles as possible. I’m not striving to be the world’s greatest player — just the best player I can be in order to help Brazil,” the 22-year-old said.
Dressed in black with his cap on back-to-front and wearing a chunky gold chain, when Neymar appeared on Japan’s Fuji TV, he triggered bedlam in the studio as guests and audience members in replica Brazil jerseys lined up to have their shirts signed.
The Brazilian pin-up, still wearing a protective corset for his injury, looked sheepish when asked if he liked Japanese women, replying diplomatically: “Japanese ladies are very pretty, but I’m Brazilian so I think I prefer Brazilian girls.”
Once he had left and order had been restored to the studio, several Neymar “lookalikes” were wheeled out, including a farmer, a roofer and a noodle chef.
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