Neymar bagged a double as Barcelona trounced Sporting Gijon 5-0 away on Saturday, but the Brazilian won over the home support with his actions after the match.
After the final whistle blew, Neymar seemed a bit distant as he consoled the opposition players on the pitch. He ambled around shaking players’ hands and offering words of support, but his mind seemed like it was elsewhere. His eyes kept darting around the stand as if he was looking for something… or someone.
Suddenly, he snapped out of his funk. He stopped in his tracks, perked up, took off his shirt and he ran towards the crowd.
He found him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH5batNM7Tk
Just like that, Neymar had made a day. With that small, but significant gesture, he had moved the Sporting Gijon fan to tears. It may have been just a piece of cloth to the footballer, but it meant so much more to the fan, Sergio Gonzalez.
Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo caught up with Sergio after the game. He explained that he had a brief interaction with the Brazilian superstar at half-time and sure enough, Neymar proved to be a man of his word.
“Before the start of the second half, Neymar looked into the stands where I was, and he made a sign asking if he could swap shirts with me. I blinked and he answered positively with a ‘thumbs up’.”
“When the game ended it looked like he was going away. But I asked my sister wait.”
“Just at that moment, he came to me and hugged another boy. Then he gave me his shirt. It was a gesture I will never forget.”
Pure class.
Gracias @neymarjr x él detallazo que tuviste conmigo. Obligado👍 pic.twitter.com/WeOM2qYauB
— Sergio González García (@sgg_sporting) September 24, 2016
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