Neymar Shows Underwear during Barcelona Match and Catches CBF Attention to the World Cup Guidelines

04/16/2014 - 09h55

Neymar, Brazil's biggest star, showed off the his Lupo underwear at least five times while playing for Barcelona, during a match against Atlético de Madrid, part of the Champions League.

One month before, the forward had starred an advertisement for Lupo's new campaign, called "luck underwear". The player is the face of the brand since August 2011.

The luck, however, did not show up during the game. Barcelona was beaten 1-0 and is out of the quarterfinals.

The game was broadcasted by Globo and Band last 9 April and it was the highest TV audience between 3.45pm and 5.45pm. Globo had 10.7 points, while Band reached a peak of six points. According to Ibope, each point represents 183,520 people. In total, the match had around 3,064,784 viewers in Grande São Paulo.

Someone very close to Neymar's family told Folha that the marketing strategy was an idea of one the player's staff, who suggested it to Neymar's father.

The following day, the euphoric Lupo executives called the publicists of the advertising agency Africa, responsible for the campaign starring the Brazilian player. They celebrated the brand visibility during the game.

On the other hand, Fifa and Uefa have prohibited the athletes from advertising brands while playing.

Neymar's underwear has never been so exposed. Four days before, he helped score 4-0 at Bétis during a match of the Spanish League.

Last Sunday, they lost against Granada 1-0. His underwear was not seen in none of the games.

CBF IS AWARE

Commercial issues are part of CBF concerns. The entity will prepare workshops for the Brazilian team in the period preceding the tournament. The team has to report for duty on May 26.

According to Folha investigation, one of the workshops will establish the equipments the athletes will be allowed to use in the games and even how they should celebrate the goals, in order to avoid political or religious quotations.

Fifa has included a new resolution that stops the players from having messages in their bodies.

The article 22 of the World Cup regulation bans political, religious, personal or advertising messages on uniforms.

During the UEFA Euro 2012, the Danish player Nicklas Bendtner was given a one-game suspension and 100 thousand euros fine (US$137, 27) for showing his underwear and unveiling its brand.

OTHER SIDE

Neymar's staff denies it has been planned.

Neymar's press agent denied that showing his underwear was a marketing strategy. The player always receives free gifts from his sponsors.
He gets many Lupo clothing whenever they release a new collection. Neymar has 13 personal sponsors.

Lupo declared to be "happy" with the exposure and confirms the company did not ask the player or any of his staff anything.

PELÉ

Fifa's restriction to gestures or clothing that could be linked to a sponsor is the opposite of what the Brazilian team has done in the past tournaments.

In 1970, before a quarterfinal match of Brazil vs Peru, Pelé asked for a break and bent down to tie his shoes. The TV cameras focused on his Puma shoes for almost 30 seconds.

One of the biggest controversies after the 1982 World Cup was an agreement between Coca-Cola and some players of the Brazilian team. They were supposed to celebrate the goals in front of the brand's billboard.

In 1994, while raising the World Cup trophy, Dunga raised up his index finger, copying Brahma slogan (the number 1), the Brazilian beer producer that sponsored CBF at the time.

With MARIANA BARBOSA, from São Paulo

Translated by JULIANA CALDERARI

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	Dani Pozo/AFP
	Neymar, Brazil's biggest star, showed off the his Lupo underwear at least five times while playing for Barcelona