Neymar picks up Samba Gold Award for being the best Brazilian playing in Europe
ՍպորտBarcelona superstar Neymar has scooped the Samba Gold Award, which recognises the best Brazilian player in European football.
The annual award by French organisation Sambafoot collects over 150,000 votes worldwide as well as opinions from respected journalists and former players.
The 23-year-old edged out compatriots Miranda of Atletico Madrid and Galatasaray midfielder Felipe Melo after an impressive 2014 season at the Nou Camp.
Neymar has scooped the Samba Gold Award, which recognises the best Brazilian player in European football
Neymar returned to Barcelona from international duty to pick up the Samba Gold Award
The Brazilian was involved in his country's 1-0 friendly defeat of Chile at the Emirates on Sunday
Neymar has scored 26 goals in all competitions for Luis Enrique's side to follow PSG defender Thiago Silva who has collected the award for the past three seasons.
This was the seventh edition of an accolade that has been presented since 2008 with past winners including Kaka and Maicon.
Meanwhile, Neymar has responded to Gary Medel's accusation of 'theatrics' by saying he does not know who the Chile midfielder is.
The pair were involved in Brazil's feisty 1-0 defeat of Chile in an international friendly on Sunday before the former Cardiff enforcer accused Neymar of play acting.
'I don't know Medel, I don't know who he is. If he says that it is theatre, from there I will say nothing else. Only that it was a tough match,' he told Mediaset.
Thiago Silva (left) had collected the last three Samba Gold Award while playing for PSG
Neymar claimed not to know who Gary Medel was after being stamped on by the Chilean at the Emirates