Neymar has admitted for the first time that he wondered if he was a diver after sustained criticism over his theatrics during the World Cup.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward entered the tournament as one of the tournament's great hopes and played well in the group stage at times, but he made just as many headlines for theatrical diving and rolling on the turf as he did for his fancy footwork and positive contributions.

Now, in an interview with Globo in his native Brazil, Neymar has revealed how the fierce criticism of his actions made him question himself.

"I started to see all of my pieces of play in the World Cup and I thought 'could it be that I really am diving?'," he admitted.

"I think there was an exaggerated blame placed on me," he said.

Neymar's career in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 Neymar's career in pictures Neymar's career in pictures Neymar made his debut for Santos aged 17 in 2009 Brazilian forward Neymar, of Santos, gets ready for their 2009 Paulista Championship football derby match against Corinthians, at Pacaembu Stadium, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on March 22, 2009. According to the Brazilian sport media, the 17-year-old football star Neymar, on his fourth match as a professional player, is considered the great young hope on upcoming generation. AFP PHOTO/Mauricio Lima (Photo credit should read MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures He was tipped to become the heir to Ronaldo’s throne Brazilian striker Ronaldo (L), of Corinthians, greets Neymar, of Santos before the 2009 Paulista Championship football second leg derby final match against Santos, at the Pacaembu Stadium, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 3, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Mauricio LIMA (Photo credit should read MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Aged 18, he made his international debut for Brazil against the USA in August 2010 in which he scored EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - AUGUST 10: Neymar #11 and Paulo Henrique Ganso #10 of Brazil celebrate Neymar's goal against the U.S. in the first half of a friendly match at the New Meadowlands on August 10, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Neymar moved to Barcelona in 2013 BARCELONA, SPAIN - JUNE 03: Neymar (C) holds his new jersey with the FC Barcelona Vice-President Josep Maria Bartomeu (L) and FC Barcelona Sport Director Andoni Zubizarreta during the official presentation as a new player of the FC Barcelona at Camp Nou Stadium on June 3, 2013 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Barcelona charged with tax fraud after Neymar’s transfer revealed to be £71.5m with president Sandro Rosell (pictured) resigning FC Barcelona's new player Brazilian Neymar da Silva Santos Junior (R) poses with Barcelona's President Sandro Rosell at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, on June 3, 2013. Santos and Brazil star Neymar signed a five-year contract with Spanish giants Barcelona. AFP PHOTO/ JOSEP LAGO (Photo credit should read JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures First La Liga goal 2013/14 against Real Sociedad Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar da Silva Santos Junior celebrates his goal during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on September 24, 2013. AFP PHOTO/ JOSEP LAGO (Photo credit should read JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Won the Bronze Boot for the third top goalscorer at his home World Cup SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - JUNE 12: Neymar of Brazil celebrates scoring his second goal on a penalty kick in the second half during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group A match between Brazil and Croatia at Arena de Sao Paulo on June 12, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Fabrizio Bensch - Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures 2014/15: Neymar wins the treble with Barcelona Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar da Silva Santos Junior delivers a speech as he takes part in the celebrations held for their victory over Juventus, one day after the UEFA Champions League final football, at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on June 7, 2015. Luis Suarez and Neymar scored second-half goals to give Barcelona a 3-1 Champions League final victory over Juventus on June 6, 2015 as the Spaniards became the first team to twice win the European treble. AFP PHOTO/ LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Neymar replaces Thiago Silva as Brazil captain HARRISON, NJ - SEPTEMBER 5: Neymar #10 of Brazil moves the ball during their match against the Costa Rica at Red Bull Arena on September 5, 2015 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Neymar was nominated for the 2015 Ballon d’Or, finishing third behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 11: FIFA Ballon d'Or nominees Neymar Jr of Brazil and FC Barcelona (L), Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona (C) and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid (R) attend a press conference prior to the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Philipp Schmidli/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Neymar scores the winning penalty to beat Germany at the Maracana and win Brazil a gold medal at the Olympics before renouncing the captaincy RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 20: Neymar and Brazilian team mates celebrate with their gold medals after winning the Men's Football Final between Brazil and Germany at the Maracana Stadium on Day 15 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on August 20, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Neymar scored his 100th goal for Barcelona in 2017 against Granada Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar da Silva celebrates after scoring during the Spanish league football match Granada FC vs FC Barcelona at Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium in Granada on April 2, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JORGE GUERRERO (Photo credit should read JORGE GUERRERO/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images

"But I knew to expect that, as it's always been like this over the course of my career, no?

"I know that when Brazil loses, most of the weight will fall on my back."

An image of Neymar writhing became one of Russia's iconic images (AFP/Getty)

Neymar was indeed questioned after Brazil's World Cup elimination by Belgium , with one journalist in Sao Paulo newspaper Folha writing: "You need to dribble, but Brazilian players make the error of thinking it's the best plan even when faced with two or three markers. That's what led to Neymar diving near Toby Alderweireld, asking for a non-existent penalty."

The former Barcelona forward was far from the only man scapegoated in the wake of the Canarinha's defeat to the Belgians in Kazan.

Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Show all 22 1 /22 Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Alisson 5 Brazil's goalkeeper Alisson reacts after taking a second goal during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Luis Acosta / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS LUIS ACOSTA/AFP/Getty Images LUIS ACOSTA AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Marcelo 5 Brazil's defender Marcelo thumbs up during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / BENJAMIN CREMEL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP/Getty Images BENJAMIN CREMEL AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Miranda 4 Brazil's defender Miranda eyes the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / BENJAMIN CREMEL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP/Getty Images BENJAMIN CREMEL AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Thiago Silva 6 Brazil's defender Thiago Silva gestures during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / BENJAMIN CREMEL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP/Getty Images BENJAMIN CREMEL AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Fagner 5 Brazil's defender Fagner carries the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Manan VATSYAYANA / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images MANAN VATSYAYANA AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Fernandinho 4 Brazil's midfielder Fernandinho passes the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMAD / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images JEWEL SAMAD AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Willian 5 KAZAN, RUSSIA - JULY 06: Willian of Brazil looks on during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Brazil and Belgium at Kazan Arena on July 6, 2018 in Kazan, Russia. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Catherine Ivill Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Paulinho 5 KAZAN, RUSSIA - JULY 06: Paulinho of Brazil goes down injured during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Brazil and Belgium at Kazan Arena on July 6, 2018 in Kazan, Russia. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Catherine Ivill Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Gabriel Jesus 4 KAZAN, RUSSIA - JULY 06: Gabriel Jesus of Brazil looks on during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Brazil and Belgium at Kazan Arena on July 6, 2018 in Kazan, Russia. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Catherine Ivill Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Philippe Coutinho 6 Brazil's forward Philippe Coutinho controls the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Roman Kruchinin / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS ROMAN KRUCHININ/AFP/Getty Images ROMAN KRUCHININ AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Neymar 5 KAZAN, RUSSIA - JULY 06: Neymar Jr of Brazil reacts during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Quarter Final match between Brazil and Belgium at Kazan Arena on July 6, 2018 in Kazan, Russia. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) Laurence Griffiths Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Thibaut Courtois 8 Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois makes a save during the quarterfinal match between Brazil and Belgium at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Kazan Arena, in Kazan, Russia, Friday, July 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Francisco Seco AP Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Toby Alderweireld 6 Brazil's forward Neymar (L) vies with Belgium's defender Toby Alderweireld during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / SAEED KHAN / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images SAEED KHAN AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Vincent Kompany 7 Belgium's defender Vincent Kompany celebrates after Brazil scored an own goal during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Luis Acosta / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS LUIS ACOSTA/AFP/Getty Images LUIS ACOSTA AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Jan Vertonghen 6 Soccer Football - World Cup - Quarter Final - Brazil vs Belgium - Kazan Arena, Kazan, Russia - July 6, 2018 Belgium's Jan Vertonghen in action with Brazil's Willian REUTERS/Toru Hanai TORU HANAI REUTERS Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Thomas Meunier 6 Belgium's defender Thomas Meunier controls the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Roman Kruchinin / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS ROMAN KRUCHININ/AFP/Getty Images ROMAN KRUCHININ AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Nacer Chadli 6 Belgium's midfielder Nacer Chadli (L) vies with Brazil's defender Fagner during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / EMMANUEL DUNAND / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images EMMANUEL DUNAND AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Axel Witsel 5 epa06869621 Neymar (L) of Brazil and Axel Witsel of Belgium in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 quarter final soccer match between Brazil and Belgium in Kazan, Russia, 06 July 2018. (RESTRICTIONS APPLY: Editorial Use Only, not used in association with any commercial entity - Images must not be used in any form of alert service or push service of any kind including via mobile alert services, downloads to mobile devices or MMS messaging - Images must appear as still images and must not emulate match action video footage - No alteration is made to, and no text or image is superimposed over, any published image which: (a) intentionally obscures or removes a sponsor identification image; or (b) adds or overlays the commercial identification of any third party which is not officially associated with the FIFA World Cup) EPA/DIEGO AZUBEL EDITORIAL USE ONLY DIEGO AZUBEL EPA Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Marouane Fellaini 6 Belgium's midfielder Marouane Fellaini controls the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / BENJAMIN CREMEL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP/Getty Images BENJAMIN CREMEL AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Kevin De Bruyne 8 Belgium's midfielder Kevin De Bruyne looks on during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / BENJAMIN CREMEL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP/Getty Images BENJAMIN CREMEL AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Eden Hazard 7 Belgium's forward Eden Hazard adjusts his captain's band during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / BENJAMIN CREMEL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP/Getty Images BENJAMIN CREMEL AFP/Getty Images Brazil vs Belgium player ratings: World Cup 2018 Romelu Lukaku 9 Belgium's forward Romelu Lukaku reacts during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Luis Acosta / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS LUIS ACOSTA/AFP/Getty Images LUIS ACOSTA AFP/Getty Images

"Fernandinho was another who was blamed in a way that I can't understand," added Neymar.