Neymar has claimed he deliberately aimed to score directly from a corner kick in Santos’ 3-0 victory over Internacional de Limeira on Sunday.
The 33-year-old showcased his enduring brilliance following a lengthy injury layoff with a spectacular effort.
Neymar’s 27th-minute strike in the Paulista Championship was so impressive that even opposition fans applauded.
The Brazilian superstar curled in a corner kick that caught goalkeeper Igo Gabriel off guard, striking the far post before finding the net.
Earlier, Neymar had been jeered by the home supporters after assisting Tiquinho Soares from the same corner for the game’s opening goal.
“I went to take the corner, and they provoked me,” Neymar said after the match.
“I asked them to sing louder, took the kick, and got an assist. Then, when I went back for the second corner, they did it again, so I thought to myself: ‘Now I’m going to score’ [laughs].
“I struck it perfectly and managed to score my first ‘Olympic goal’ [a goal direct from a corner].”
