Brazilian forward and PSG star Neymar is all set to become the all-time top scorer for Brazil. With 74 goals to his name. Neymar is just four goals short of Pele, who holds the all-time record for scoring 77 goals.

However, the football star hit the news not for scoring a goal, but for his political endorsement of Brazil's rightwing leader Jair Bolsonaro. Neymar backed President Jair Bolsonaro's reelection bid just days before Brazil's first round of presidential polls showing his support.

In a TikTok video Neymar Grooved to Bolsonaro's campaign jingle. He flashed Bolsonaro's candidate number, the number 22, and danced out to the campaign's jingle, singing a couple of lyrics from the campaign jingle.

He called out Bolsonaro's position on the ballot before pleading for votes for the far-right leader. 

Neymar's endorsement came a day after Bolsonaro visited the footballers’ nonprofit organization Institute of Projecto Neymar Jr, in the state of Sao Paulo. 

The charitable institute looks to create opportunities through education and sports initiatives for low-income families in the city of Praya Grande.

Neymar boasts 8 million followers on TikTok and another 52 million on Twitter, and his endorsement of Bolsonaro could prove crucially effective for voters to choose the man again.

 Bolsonaro quickly posted Neymar's endorsement video on Twitter and linked his reelection bid to push for Brazil to win a record-extending 6th World Cup title. 

The election this time is a duel between Mr Bolsonaro and a former leftist president, Luiz Inacio Lula DA Silva, who served from 2003 until 2010.

 Lula was imprisoned in 2018 on corruption charges, but his conviction was later thrown out after Brazil's Supreme Court ruled that the case was biased. 

 to needy families to ease the financial pain that has followed the Covid19 pandemic. 

The far-right incumbent also vows to create jobs by eliminating bureaucratic red tape, slashing taxes, and investing in technology.

 Bolsonaro also defends large-scale expansion of mining and agriculture, although he says growth needs, 

“economic, social, and environmental sustainability”. 

Neymar has been criticised for his endorsement

Neymar's show of support has sparked criticism, with Brazilian comedian Yuri Marsal drawing attention to Bolsonaro's historically antagonistic relationship with indigenous Brazilians. Responding to the criticism, Neymar tweeted this:

Neymar's support for Bolsonaro could influence Brazil's electoral mood.

 Currently, the first round of polling has put Lula ahead but has not given him the required 50%. He has secured 48% of the votes, while Bolsonaro has secured 43.2%.

The election comes at a crucial moment for Brazil when surging food and fuel prices and a painful economic slowdown have made life harder for many Brazilians.

 The new president will also be forced to grapple with the surging Amazonian deforestation. 

Since no candidate has secured at least 50% of the vote, a runoff election between the two top candidates will be held on October 30.

 Once elected, the new president will be sworn in on January 1.

Lula has accused Neymar of cutting a deal with Bolsonaro

Former president of Brazil and current front-runner for the presidency Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has charged Neymar Junior of making a deal with incumbent far-right Jair Bolsonaro to 

back him in the 2019 general election in exchange for a "pardon" of the footballer's tax bill.

The former president, referred to as Lula, made fun of the Paris Saint-Germain player for his backing of Bolsanaro in an interview with a YouTube channel on Tuesday,

"Neymar has the right to pick the president he wants. He might be worried that if I win, I'll find out what Bolsonaro pardoned him for in terms of his income tax debt. He must be scared of me because of this”,

Neymar has been found guilty of tax evasion in the past

Lula accused Bolsonaro of "putting together a deal" with Neymar's father, 

referring to the alleged "fraud and corruption" trial the PSG forward is facing over his 2013 transfer from Brazilian club Santos to Barcelona.

“It seems clear that Bolsonaro reached a deal with the father (of Neymar). He currently faces tax issues in Spain. However, the issue is with the tax collection agency”, not mine, he continued.

The face-off between Bolsonaro and Lula will go down on October 30

Former World Cup-winning Brazilian football hero Rai, who gave Lula a silent shout-out at an award ceremony in Paris and mentioned his country's elections before flashing an "L" sign with his right palm, has endorsed Lula, who served as president of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.

On October 30, Bolsonaro and Lula will face off in the second and last round of voting for the position of president of Brazil.

Has Neymar made a deal with Bolsonaro to evade tax?

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