Football superstar Neymar has sparked online fury over a tribute to renowned physicist Professor Stephen Hawking.

Hawking died on Wednesday aged 76 after a lifetime struggling with a degenerative motor neuron disease similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

Unable to move a muscle, speechless but for a computer-synthesised voice, wheelchair-bound Hawking suffered from the disease since the age of 21.

@NEYMARJR/TWITTER Neymar poses for a photo he would use in a tribute to Stephen Hawking.

Neymar, who is using a wheelchair while he recovers from ankle surgery, posed for a photo on Thursday, which he then used to pay tribute to the famed author of A Brief History of Time.

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MATT DUNHAM/ AP One of the world's greatest minds lost, Professor Stephen Hawking.

Posting the image on Twitter, Neymar captioned it in Portuguese, saying: "You have to have a positive attitude and get the best out of the situation in which you find yourself."

While the post may ha﻿﻿ve been well-meaning, it drew anger online with people focusing on the difference in opportunity afforded to one of the highest paid players in world football compared with someone who battles a disease for much of their life. His smiling demeanour in the photo did little to help appease fans.

In the Twittersphere, Neymar copped the worst of it.

"Too bad Hawking never got around to explaining how Neymar thinks the world revolves around him," one tweet read.

Another said: "It's the height of self-centeredness to put Hawking's death in terms of yourself. Neymar's temporary wheelchair situation is profoundly minor compared to the lifetime wheelchair situation Hawking had. I'm sure Neymar meant no harm, but come on."

Neymar, 26, is one of the highest payed players in world football, plying his trade for French club Paris St Germain on on a €36.8 million (NZ$62.3m).

Neymar there, with his sore metatarsal and sprained ankle, marking Stephen Hawking's death by cheerily comparing himself to quadriplegic Stephen Hawking 🤦 pic.twitter.com/f9bkh5AEhb — Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) March 14, 2018

It’s the height of self-centeredness to put Hawking’s death in terms of yourself. Neymar’s temporary wheelchair situation is profoundly minor compared to the lifetime wheelchair situation Hawking had. I’m sure Neymar meant no harm, but come on. — Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) March 14, 2018

How utterly embarrassing was Neymar's tweet about Stephen Hawking. What a self centered clown. — Calvin (@curious_calvin) March 15, 2018

He should've posted a quote by Hawking or a photo in his prime. Stupid by Neymar 😬 — Aaron Stanton 💙 (@AStanton94) March 14, 2018