Neymar Allegedly Lip-Read Telling Lionel Messi "Let's Do It" Before Penalty Kick

Barcelona star Neymar seemed to give Lionel Messi the nod to go ahead with the extraordinary penalty routine against Celta Vigo on Sunday. 

Messi opted to square the ball instead of shooting at goal, a pass that was eventually tucked home by fellow forward Luis Suarez. But it seemed as though the assist was ordered by Neymar, with Cuatro TV capturing the moment the Brazilian told his team-mate “let’s do it,” per Marca.

Here is a look at the clip from Cuatro TV in full, in which it seems pretty clear the two pre-planned the extraordinary penalty:

After the 6-1 win over Celta, in which Barcelona played some sublime football at times, Neymar did confirm that although Suarez tucked it home, it was supposed to be him finishing off this unique routine.

“It was for me, we had practiced it in training!” revealed the Brazilian, per Jack de Menezes of the Independent, who went on to score the sixth goal of the game. “Leo and myself had practiced but Luis was closer and he scored it. Our friendship is the most important thing. It doesn't matter who scores the goals just that we win the games.”

LLUIS GENE/Getty Images

As noted by Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez, it seems as though the comradeship between the trio extends beyond the field too:

Although the set piece didn’t go quite as planned, it was a moment that epitomised what makes this trio so special.

Messi could have reached a landmark 300th La Liga goal for Barcelona had he tucked away the penalty, while Suarez, who was on a hat-trick at the time, would have been well within his rights to command the ball and complete his treble from the spot. But Messi sought to set up Neymar, who hadn’t yet got on the scoresheet, instead.

LLUIS GENE/Getty Images

As we can see here courtesy of Squawka Football, not only are these three footballers arguably the finest on the planet at the moment, they regularly help each other get on the scoresheet:

Moments like these will etch their names into the annals of the game. Statistics about goals, assists and trophies will attest to the talent of these players. However, in years to come, few will remember exactly how many goals Messi, Neymar and Suarez scored in a particular season; they’ll remember this penalty.

Although he didn’t add the finishing touch, many will also remember Neymar’s astonishing performance in this one, as he led the Celta defence a merry dance:

With so much football on display from all over the world, at times the game can become a little monotonous. So instances like this are refreshing in their execution.

Indeed, next time Barcelona take to the field supporters from all corners of the globe will be hooked, anticipating another moment to make them leap out of their seats.