DOHA, Qatar (AP) – If one Neymar is about to return to the World Cupanother returned home after a short — and turbulent — stint in Qatar.
The real Neymar is recovering from an ankle injury and is expected to play on Monday against South Korea 16-8, if it is the same as his. left the country after causing trouble with his public appearances.
Eigon Oliveira, who calls himself “Ney’s look-alike”, has been busy during his time in Qatar, attracting attention for his Neymar lookalike.
It was hard to tell the difference between the look-alike and the real Neymar as Oliveira dressed in Brazil’s training uniform and sported the same glasses, hat and beard as the Brazil star.
He also appears to have a tattoo similar to Neymar, and is often accompanied by a friend who is dressed as an employee of the Brazilian soccer confederation. Some of his friends also often acted as his bodyguards.
A Puma store in Doha had to close temporarily when Oliveira visited and attracted hundreds of fans. He had to be taken to the back of the store until things were settled.
There were also problems when it came to one of the World Cup matches in Brazil, as fans clamored for autographs and photos. Some of the Brazilian players on the pitch before the game looked up to see what was going on. The security forces took the person who looked like him away.
Before one of the games, Oliveira managed to get on the field because some guards seemed to think he was Neymar.
Oliveira has 1 million followers on Instagram and is close to that mark on TikTok. He recorded most of his protests and posted them on his social media account, which quickly went viral.
Being Neymar’s double has become a job for Oliveira. He traveled the world imitating the player, including in France, where Neymar plays for Paris Saint-Germain. He earns money from his looks and as a stuntman’s double in commercial shoots.
He told Brazilian media that it all started when he was working as a waiter in a restaurant in Brazil and people started talking about his resemblance to the real Neymar, which made him a hired by an agency.
He has met Neymar several times during some commercial shoots, and said that the player is good if he looks like him.
“He never imagined this moment,” he said in a recent post. “I am lucky to have done this job. I am very grateful and a fan of this man who welcomes my work with open arms. He changed my life in a big way, gave me a million opportunities and opportunities, and allowed me to go places and meet people that I never thought I would go or meet. “
Oliveira said he plans to return to Qatar for the semi-finals if Brazil progress, so Neymar’s form could cause further turmoil before the World Cup is over.
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Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup SY https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
