Neymar: I'm still the same player

The Selecao ace is now drawing plaudits after a slow start to his Blaugrana career but he says he is no different than before

Neymar has dismissed suggestions that he has had to change his game in any way to fit in at Barcelona, insisting that he is "still the same player" that shone for Brazil at the Confederations Cup.

The 21-year-old attacker has been under constant scrutiny since his summer switch to Camp Nou from Santos, with the likes of Johan Cruyff suggesting that he was simply not compatible with Blaugranasuperstar Lionel Messi.

Neymar has been excelling in the absence of the injured Argentine, playing a key role in last week's wins over Celtic and Valladolid, but he says that it is not as if he is suddenly performing anything differently just become Barca's No.10 is out of action.

“Nothing has changed," he told reporters on Monday. "I’m still the same player, playing the same football, but right now everything is going well.

“When we made the decision [to move to Barcelona], we didn’t know if it would turn out to be the right one or not. It’s down to you. 

"Whether playing in Brazil or Spain, I wanted to develop as a player.”

Neymar was the star of the show during the Selecao's stirring Confederations Cup success this summer, prompting speculation that he could be in the running for this year's Ballon d'Or.

However, the former Santos starlet insists that he has not even given the award a second thought since his switch to Catalunya.

“It isn’t something that worries me,” he said. “I just want to play the same football and help my team-mates at Barca and in the Brazil team."

Neymar is currently away on international duty, with the World Cup hosts set to face South Korea in Seoul on Saturday.