<p> Many dribble around the question, but the few Brazilian footballers who have taken sides in the country's polarizing presidential election have mostly backed far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.</p>.<p>Here is a rundown of where the heroes of the "beautiful game" stand in football-mad Brazil's presidential derby, which pits Bolsonaro against veteran leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in an October 30 runoff.</p>.<p>Bolsonaro won the biggest endorsement yet from the football world when Paris Saint-Germain and national team superstar Neymar gave him his backing.</p>.<p>Neymar, 30, posted a video on TikTok of himself rocking out to a pro-Bolsonaro electronic dance song three days before the October 2 first-round election.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/neymar-backs-bolsonaro-in-brazil-vote-1149544.html" target="_blank">Neymar backs Bolsonaro in Brazil vote</a></strong></p>.<p>Lula fired back this week, alleging the player was motivated by a tax debt pardon from Bolsonaro.</p>.<p>Others backing the incumbent include...</p>.<p>Current players:</p>.<p>- Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur)</p>.<p>- Felipe Melo (Fluminense)</p>.<p>Former players:</p>.<p>- 1994 World Cup champion Romario (Barcelona, Miami, among others), now a Senator allied with Bolsonaro</p>.<p>- 2002 World Cup champion Rivaldo (Barcelona, among others)</p>.<p>- 2002 World Cup champion Marcos (Palmeiras)</p>.<p>- National team veteran Robinho (Real Madrid, AC Milan, among others), who has been sentenced to nine years in prison for rape by an Italian court</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/bolsonaro-vs-lula-brazil-faces-radically-opposed-options-in-divisive-polls-1150139.html" target="_blank">Bolsonaro vs Lula: Brazil faces radically opposed options in divisive polls</a></strong></p>.<p>Sports historian Joao Malaia says footballers are particularly keen on Bolsonaro's ultra-liberal economic policies and rhetoric.</p>.<p>"It's very much about individual success and the ability to overcome all difficulties, which aligns with footballers' trajectories," he says.</p>.<p>Just one current player has publicly backed Lula: 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion Paulinho (Bayer Leverkusen).</p>.<p>Veterans backing the ex-president include:</p>.<p>- 1994 World Cup champion Rai (Botafogo, Sao Paulo, Paris Saint-Germain), who flashed an "L" for Lula at the Ballon d'Or gala Monday</p>.<p>- National team veteran Walter Casagrande (Corinthians, Porto, among others), now a popular football pundit</p>.<p>- National team veteran and free kick master Juninho Pernambucano (Lyon, New York, among others)</p>.<p>- Ex-national team coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo (1998-2000)</p>.<p>Few others have taken sides.</p>.<p>Malaia says Brazilian footballers have sometimes paid a heavy price for political activism.</p>.<p>"There's a maxim in Brazil: football and politics don't mix," he says.</p>.<p>One example: retired forward Reinaldo (Atletico Mineiro), who claims he was benched at the 1978 World Cup for celebrating a goal with a Black Power salute.</p>.<p>Sports marketing expert Rafael Zanette says politics can also negatively impact players' chances at contracts with clubs and sponsors.</p>.<p>"A guy who takes political stances sets off alarm bells," he says.</p>.<p>The notable exception was the pro-democracy movement in the 1980s at Sao Paulo side Corinthians during Brazil's military dictatorship (1964-1985).</p>.<p>Its leaders included Casagrande and Rai's late brother Socrates.</p>
<p> Many dribble around the question, but the few Brazilian footballers who have taken sides in the country's polarizing presidential election have mostly backed far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.</p>.<p>Here is a rundown of where the heroes of the "beautiful game" stand in football-mad Brazil's presidential derby, which pits Bolsonaro against veteran leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in an October 30 runoff.</p>.<p>Bolsonaro won the biggest endorsement yet from the football world when Paris Saint-Germain and national team superstar Neymar gave him his backing.</p>.<p>Neymar, 30, posted a video on TikTok of himself rocking out to a pro-Bolsonaro electronic dance song three days before the October 2 first-round election.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/neymar-backs-bolsonaro-in-brazil-vote-1149544.html" target="_blank">Neymar backs Bolsonaro in Brazil vote</a></strong></p>.<p>Lula fired back this week, alleging the player was motivated by a tax debt pardon from Bolsonaro.</p>.<p>Others backing the incumbent include...</p>.<p>Current players:</p>.<p>- Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur)</p>.<p>- Felipe Melo (Fluminense)</p>.<p>Former players:</p>.<p>- 1994 World Cup champion Romario (Barcelona, Miami, among others), now a Senator allied with Bolsonaro</p>.<p>- 2002 World Cup champion Rivaldo (Barcelona, among others)</p>.<p>- 2002 World Cup champion Marcos (Palmeiras)</p>.<p>- National team veteran Robinho (Real Madrid, AC Milan, among others), who has been sentenced to nine years in prison for rape by an Italian court</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/bolsonaro-vs-lula-brazil-faces-radically-opposed-options-in-divisive-polls-1150139.html" target="_blank">Bolsonaro vs Lula: Brazil faces radically opposed options in divisive polls</a></strong></p>.<p>Sports historian Joao Malaia says footballers are particularly keen on Bolsonaro's ultra-liberal economic policies and rhetoric.</p>.<p>"It's very much about individual success and the ability to overcome all difficulties, which aligns with footballers' trajectories," he says.</p>.<p>Just one current player has publicly backed Lula: 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion Paulinho (Bayer Leverkusen).</p>.<p>Veterans backing the ex-president include:</p>.<p>- 1994 World Cup champion Rai (Botafogo, Sao Paulo, Paris Saint-Germain), who flashed an "L" for Lula at the Ballon d'Or gala Monday</p>.<p>- National team veteran Walter Casagrande (Corinthians, Porto, among others), now a popular football pundit</p>.<p>- National team veteran and free kick master Juninho Pernambucano (Lyon, New York, among others)</p>.<p>- Ex-national team coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo (1998-2000)</p>.<p>Few others have taken sides.</p>.<p>Malaia says Brazilian footballers have sometimes paid a heavy price for political activism.</p>.<p>"There's a maxim in Brazil: football and politics don't mix," he says.</p>.<p>One example: retired forward Reinaldo (Atletico Mineiro), who claims he was benched at the 1978 World Cup for celebrating a goal with a Black Power salute.</p>.<p>Sports marketing expert Rafael Zanette says politics can also negatively impact players' chances at contracts with clubs and sponsors.</p>.<p>"A guy who takes political stances sets off alarm bells," he says.</p>.<p>The notable exception was the pro-democracy movement in the 1980s at Sao Paulo side Corinthians during Brazil's military dictatorship (1964-1985).</p>.<p>Its leaders included Casagrande and Rai's late brother Socrates.</p>