Neymar not immune to criticism, says Kylian Mbappe

Paris: Kylian Mbappe insisted his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Neymar is "human like everyone else" after the Brazilian was reduced to tears on Friday by the controversy that has followed him since his arrival from Barcelona.

A tearful Neymar pleaded with the media to stop the "false stories" about his alleged frosty relations with PSG coach Unai Emery and fellow striker Edinson Cavani following Brazil`s 3-1 international friendly win over Japan in Lille.

The 25-year-old said he was "hurt" by the issue, before adding that he was "really happy" in Paris following his world-record 222-million-euro ($264 million) transfer in August.

Mbappe, Neymar and Cavani have linked up to devastating effect this season, with the trio combining to score 24 goals through PSG`s first 12 league matches.

But Mbappe conceded Neymar was just as susceptible to criticism as anyone else.

"It just simply proves that he`s human like everyone else. He`s like us, he has two arms, two legs, a heart, so he can be affected by the criticism he is subjected to," Mbappe told French television channel TF1 on Sunday.

"From the outside he gives off a certain image, he doesn`t appear to be affected... But when you`re on the inside, he opens himself up to you, he shows he`s a normal person.

"He`s incredibly strong on the pitch that you think he`s just as strong off it, but away from it he remains a normal guy."