Neymar has hit back at Brazilian critics who didn't like his response to Argentina's Copa America victory.
The Brazilian star was seen embracing his former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi after the final in Rio, which Argentina won 1-0 thanks to a strike from Angel Di Maria.
The victory secured a first international trophy for Messi, and Neymar sought him out after the game.
He could be seen hugging Messi and then laughing with him, with his reaction drawing criticism in Brazil.
But Neymar insisted he only acted in that manner out of respect for his friend.
"Losing hurts me, it hurts me… it's something I still haven't learned to live with," he wrote on Instagram.
"Yesterday when I lost, I went to give a hug to the biggest and best in history that I saw playing.
"My friend and brother MESSI, I was sad and I told him 'you beat me.'
"I am very sad for having lost. But this guy is awesome!
"I have great respect for what he has done for football and especially for me.
"I HATE TO LOSE!!!! But enjoy your title, football was waiting for you for that moment!
"CONGRATULATIONS BROTHER."
Messi, meanwhile, was overjoyed that the success.
"I needed to get rid of the thorn and achieve something with the national team. I knew that at some point it was going to happen," he told ESPN Argentina.
"The truth is that this is crazy.
"Many times I had to leave (tournaments) with sadness, but I knew it was going to happen. There was no better moment than this, at the Maracana.
"This group really deserved it. I had a lot of confidence in this group that was growing strong, a group of very good people who always go forward, who never complained about anything.
"We were locked up for many days without seeing our family (in a quarantine bubble). Fortunately it worked out and we were able to become champions."
Messi added that he had been carrying an injury.
"The joy is immense. I had been dragging a discomfort in the hamstring, we were all with just enough left at the end and luckily everything went well," he said.
"I dreamed about this many times. I thought about my family, my wife, my children, my old man, my family. They suffered a lot, maybe more than me".
"I want to thank the people for the recognition.
"It's very nice that Argentina can enjoy and that we can bring this much-desired Cup over there. We are still not fully aware of what we achieved.
"I think it will be a match that will go down in history because not only did we win the Copa América, but it was also in Brazil."
