Brazilian superstar forward Neymar has called for extra protection from referees after the Paris Saint-Germain star was fouled a record 10 times against Switzerland on Sunday.
The Brazilians were forced to share the points in their opening match of the 2018 World Cup despite Philippe Coutinho's thunderous opener, with Hoffenheim midfielder Steven Zuber levelling the score-line early in the second half.
Neymar struggled to have the impact he was hoping for with Brazil at the Rostov Arena, largely due to the amount of attention he was attracting from the Switzerland players.
The 26-year-old was fouled 10 times on Sunday, a record since the turn of the century, and the most at a World Cup finals since England striker Alan Shearer was fouled 11 times against Tunisia at France '98.
"I was hit and it was aching, but nothing to worry," Neymar said after the match, quoted by the Sun. "After your body is cold, it aches a little more but that's okay."
"I have nothing to say about it," Neymar added, reports www.si.com.
"All I have to do is to play football or try to do it. It's for the referee to see it. I guess that will be normal to be fouled regularly, we have to pay attention to it, but that's something normal in football," he said.
Brazil are being tipped as one of the favourites to win the World Cup, but the South American giants have followed a trend this summer that has seen Argentina, Spain and Germany all drop points in their opening match.