Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/1541357/world-cup-diary-never-mind-suarez-and-ghana-neymars-been-caught-his
Sport/ Football

World Cup diary: Never mind Suarez and Ghana - Neymar's been caught with his pants ... er, up

Fifa might punish Brazil star for apparently indulging in some 'ambush marketing' to promote his underwear sponsor

Neymar shows off his pants and is set to be banned from football for life and possibly even executed depending on Fifa's whim. Photo: EPA

It was a good day for scandals at the World Cup, what with Luis Suarez getting his just desserts after a main course of spalla di chiellini and Ghana sending home Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng.

Now the next star in hot water could be none other than the hosts' Neymar, according to Brazilian website UOL

With seemingly every part of the body and every aspect of a star like Neymar's life up for grabs by sponsors, his underpants are paid for by a company called Lupo. 

It does look like he made sure the waistband were on display after the selecão's win over Cameroon - since his pants aren't official team / Fifa issue, the governing body could take a dim view. 

After all, never mind biting opponents, if there's one thing Fifa really frown upon it's promoting companies that aren't part of the 'Fifa family'.

Nicklas Bendtner famously was hit with a 100,000 euros fine and one-match ban by Uefa at the last Euros for displaying a bookies' logo on his underpants - far more than they routinely punish teams for instances of racist abuse as many pointed out.

And like Suarez, this is not Neymar's first offence - the number of times he lifted his shirt to display his underwear logo in a Barca Champions League game last season was noted by many. 

So, taking all that into consideration, it looks like at least a five-match ban. Stay tuned.


Stat of the day

It was pointed out by many but bears repeating - with Suarez set to miss 13 games for Liverpool as a result of his latest ban, he will have missed 34 games since 2010 (previous biting, racially abusing Patrice Evra) without receiving a single red card. 

You almost have to admire the insane little cannibal. Almost.

Meanwhile, fans are queuing up on the Copacabana to get their photo with Suarez's gnashers:


CCTV's famous jinx cries on air after her powers fail her

We relayed yesterday the story of Mick Jagger's World Cup curse. Well China has its own version, and she's considerably easier on the eyes. 

CCTV's Liu Yuxi broke down in tears during a broadcast after her powers failed her during the Italy - Uruguay game, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Liu had been castigated for Spain's early exit because supposedly every time she wears a team's shirt they lose - a curse first spotted during the NBA finals. 

Trying to turn her powers to good, she did her best to get Suarez and co knocked out by Italy by wearing Uruguay's shirt - but Suarez's black magic, his powers having grown stronger with the flesh of each victim, was too much for her.

She has now apparently promised not to wear any more team shirts on the telly.