Neymar is often subjected to brutal challenges on the pitch from opponents but e found himself on the end of sliding tackles from two giddy fans in a moment of madness outside the Brazil team's hotel on Thursday.
The Brazil players were returning to their team hotel in Porto Alegre after training ahead of their World Cup qualifier at home to Ecuador and were greeted by excited, screaming fans as they got off their bus.
Two over-excited youngsters ran straight towards Neymar and one of them accidentally slid over, crashing straight into the Paris Saint-Germain forward.
Neymar was knocked off balance and then scrambled to prevent one of the fans running away with one of his shoes, with security guards rushing to stop the fans mobbing the player.
With the help of a female assistant, Neymar managed to recover the shoe but looked shaken and annoyed by the incident and was seen hobbling towards the hotel door, sparking fears he could have picked up an injury in the fracas.
Brazil face Ecuador on Friday night before another World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Wednesday.
They then begin their Copa America campaign the following Sunday against Venezuela after the tournament was moved from Colombia and Argentina to Brazil despite huge coronavirus infection rates.
But local media reports say there is a chance European-based players such as Neymar could refuse to play in the tournament after disagreeing to move the tournament to Brazil, which has the second highest rate of deaths from coronavirus.
Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro refused to show for a press conference ahead of the Ecuador qualifier due to the tournament being moved, and coach Tite revealed that the players have complained to national confederation chief Rogerio Caboclo.
'They have an opinion, they exposed it to the president ... and they will expose it to the public at the appropriate time,' Tite said.
