‘I suffered the same’ – Brazil legend Ronaldo defends Neymar’s partying and demands critics get off star’s back

BRAZILIAN legend Ronaldo has told critics to stop having a go at Neymar over his partying - and defended the outgoing lifestyle.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker came under fire last month after being spotted partying in a Sao Paulo bar - despite missing his country’s World Cup qualifying match against Argentina through injury.

But now the crocked 29-year-old, who was hobbling up stairs on crutches at the weekend, has been defender by ex-Barcelona and Real Madrid striker Ronaldo.

The Real Valladolid president, who piled on the pounds after retiring, said: “I suffered the same as Neymar.

“The private life of a well-known or famous person or of an athlete, shouldn’t matter to anyone.

“What does it matter what someone drank, ate or didn’t eat!"

The 45-year-old also said footballers went straight from being kids to 'trapped' adults with money.

But he added: "If I could take back time I wouldn’t have gone into sixth gear, I would have stayed in fourth.”

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Neymar was accused of sporting a 'pot belly' in the summer after the snaps of him holidaying on a yacht off the coast of Ibiza came out.

He fired back at his critics by telling the Fui Clear YouTube channel: “How can one be 12 years at the top without taking care of himself? Nobody gets that.

"I know how to take care of myself, I have a physical therapist and a physical trainer practically 24 hours with me, for what? Not at all?"

He added: “I go out when I can. I go out when possible, when I know that I will not train the next day. I will not stop doing anything. What is the problem?

"You have to judge me for what I do on the field, there I allow you to speak, but [not] what I do outside."

Neymar found himself on the receiving end of criticism again following Brazil’s game against Chile in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, with people questioning is physique after he played ina baggy shirt.

But the forward hit back on social media: “The shirt was wearing against Chile was ‘L’ size.

“I’m already at my ideal weight. In the next game I will ask for an ‘M’ size.”

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Ronaldo was one of his generation's global superstars on and off the pitch, part of the iconic Galacticos at Real Madrid.

Former Los Blancos team-mate Ivan Helguera told an Instagram Live interview with Spanish journalist Mister Chip last month: “David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo were great professionals.

"Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, on the other hand, liked to go out a little more. But they certainly didn't do it every night.

"It happened if we played on a Saturday and, if we won, we all went out to celebrate. But it is absolutely not true that we went out on Friday or Saturday before important games.

"I remember a birthday party at Ronaldo's house, which he later sold to Sergio Ramos, where buses full of girls began to arrive. I was with my wife and we decided to leave, as did Figo."