Neymar becomes entangled in Brazil’s presidential election campaign after video for President

• Brazilian football star Neymar posts a video on Instagram thanking President Jair Bolsonaro for visiting his foundation.
• Neymar avoids politics in a message, sent four days before Sunday’s presidential election.
• The far-right incumbent is seeking re-election against former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

After sharing a video on social media on Wednesday praising President Jair Bolsonaro for visiting his philanthropic children’s foundation, football superstar Neymar became entangled in Brazil’s presidential election campaign.

The Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil striker avoided politics in his brief greeting to Bolsonaro, which was sent four days before Sunday’s election.

However, it did not stop Bolsonaro’s camp from highlighting the video from one of the country’s biggest stars as the far-right incumbent seeks a come-from-behind victory against the poll-leading former president of the left, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010).

“Hello, President Bolsonaro… I wanted to thank you for your illustrious visit,” Neymar, 30, said on Instagram.

“I would have loved to be there with you, but unfortunately I’m too far away… I hope you enjoyed your visit to the institute, which is the greatest goal of my life.”

Minister of Communications Fabio Faria and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro’s son instantly uploaded the video on Twitter.

The message was sent after ex-army captain Bolsonaro visited the Neymar Jr. Institute, a philanthropic organization formed by the football star in 2014 that provides educational, cultural, and sporting programs for 3,000 impoverished youngsters in Neymar’s hometown of Praia Grande.

In addition to the Brazilian flag, Bolsonaro supporters have embraced the yellow-and-green jersey of Brazil’s national team as a mark of support for the president.

“Let’s all go yellow and green with the national team’s jersey to vote for our captain Sunday!” Faria tweeted.

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