"My knee is better than Neymar's." This phrase was repeated 19 times by Atlético Mineiro fans in a viral video that spread across social media. The idea came from digital influencer Felipe Esdras in Belo Horizonte, known by the nickname "Savior."

The idea actually originated from Neymar himself. The previous week, in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana quarterfinals, Santos defeated Atlético Mineiro 2-0. During the match, Neymar's provocations completely inflamed the "Galo" supporters.

In the VIP area at Vila Belmiro stadium, Neymar, who was absent due to injury, argued with Atlético Mineiro fans and at one point said: "Even without a knee, I still play better than your entire team."

"This really upset me. I had to do something worthy of Neymar. I wanted to attract regular fans to participate because I felt they had the same emotions as me and wanted revenge. I've always enjoyed this sense of community, making my followers part of what we're doing."

A video recorded for a birthday party inspired Esdras.

"One time, I asked my followers to have strangers they didn't even know wish them happy birthday, and that was really fun. To tease strangers. At Vila Belmiro, Neymar also responded to a fan about the knee issue."

"We all know Neymar has the mentality of an 8-year-old child. I focused on that."

Esdras then gathered some random followers and filmed a video of older people talking about their knees.

"I asked them to find elderly people, like parents or grandparents, and film a first-person video, first stating their name and age, then saying, 'My knee is better than Neymar's.' I especially wanted to mention two people. One was an elderly woman who raised her middle finger during the derby, and her grandson follows me. And a man in a wheelchair—he was absolutely hilarious."

Atlético Mineiro retaliated in the second leg, winning 4-2 in regular time and gaining the advantage in the penalty shootout.

The video, originally planned to be released after Atlético Mineiro completed their comeback, went viral quickly once it was posted. Its impact rapidly spread beyond fans and Esdras's followers, and Atlético Mineiro player Scarpa even commented on his post: "Alright, this time you did great. Congratulations. This video is amazing."

Despite being upset by Neymar's provocations, Esdras expressed gratitude toward the Santos forward. According to him, the Santos player's words motivated Atlético Mineiro's players and fans alike, and also helped the team win at MRV Arena.

"This Copa Sudamericana match wasn't that important. Neymar didn't need to stir things up. He elevated the importance of the match to a higher level, ultimately making it one of the three most important matches in MRV Arena's history. All of this is because of Neymar. He dragged his teammates into this mess, and he didn't even play."

Esdras emphasized that it was just a joke, and reminded everyone that Neymar himself said similar things after provoking Atlético Mineiro at Vila Belmiro.

"This is entirely respectful and a joke. After they won at Vila Belmiro, he would say, 'I know you love me.' We tried to play the role of people seeking revenge, but we never went too far. Neymar himself always gets into enough trouble on his own..."

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