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Football: Brazil challenger Lula says Neymar supports Bolsonaro over debt woes

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Paris Saint-Germain" s="" Neymar="" during="" the="" UEFA="" Champions="" League="" Group="" H="" match="" between="" SL="" Benfica="" and="" Paris="" Saint="" Germain="" at="" Luz="" Stadium="" in="" October="" Miguel="" A.="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/10/15/football_neymar_epa.jpg"/><figcaption>Paris Saint-Germain&#x27;s Neymar during the UEFA Champions League Group H match between SL Benfica and Paris Saint Germain at Luz Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, 05 October 2022. Miguel A. Lopes, EPA-EFE</figcaption></figure></div>Brazilian presidential candidate Lula da Silva criticised football star Neymar&#x27;s support of far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, accusing the player of being motivated by a debt &quot;pardon&quot;. Last month, Neymar endorsed hardline conservative Bolsonaro as he fights to win reelection in his October 30 runoff battle against leftist ex-leader Lula.&quot;Neymar has the right to choose whoever he wants to be president. I think he is afraid that if I win the election I will find out what Bolsonaro pardoned from his income tax debt,&quot; Lula said in a YouTube interview on Tuesday.&quot;I think that&#x27;s why he&#x27;s afraid of me,&quot; Lula added, laughing, when asked about Neymar&#x27;s support for the president.Expectations of a close contest have pushed both sides to intensify their attacks before the runoff, with Lula the frontrunner after the first-round election on October 2.&quot;Obviously, Bolsonaro made a deal with (Neymar&#x27;s) father. He now has an income tax problem in Spain,&quot; Lula said, alluding to a favorable ruling the player obtained in a tax evasion trial in Brazil, as well as the charges he faces in Barcelona for alleged irregularities in his 2013 club transfer. Lula added that it was ultimately a problem for the country&#x27;s tax collection agency, and not him.This week, Lula secured the backing of another football legend. Former Brazilian player and Paris Saint-Germain star Rai gave Lula a silent shout-out at a gala awards ceremony in Paris, mentioning his country&#x27;s elections before flashing an &quot;L&quot; sign with his right hand.Lula has 53 percent of the vote heading into the October 30 runoff, to 47 percent for Bolsonaro, according to a poll released Friday by the Datafolha institute.mel/dl/dva/lb© Agence France-Presse

Brazilian presidential candidate Lula da Silva criticised football star Neymar's support of far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, accusing the player of being motivated by a debt 'pardon'. 