VIDEO: Neymar tries to get Thiago Silva to accept on-pitch bet in tense exchange with ex-Brazil team-mate during Santos' Serie A clash with Fluminense

Two iconic figures in Brazilian football lined up against one another in a contest that finished 0-0. Neymar and Thiago Silva spent three years as team-mates at Paris Saint-Germain, while being international colleagues for several years.

While they are close friends, that relationship is put to one side when locking horns in competitive action. The pair enjoyed a light-hearted battle when shoving one another during their latest meeting.

Ex-Chelsea and AC Milan defender Thiago Silva told TV Globo afterwards: “It's very special to face friends. We hear a lot of nonsense from the outside: 'Ah, they welcomed Neymar with kisses, hugs...' Before the rivalry, there's a strong brotherly friendship. And that doesn't mean we don't want to win against each other anymore.”

He added on one incident late in the first half that saw Neymar try to get under the skin of a familiar foe: “In the middle of the match, he said to me: ‘Let's bet that I'm going to score a goal and win the match’. I replied: ‘I prefer not to’. These conversations, these interactions are part of the game.”

Neymar chimed in with, having joined his friend for a post-game interview: “Our rivalry on the pitch is such that during PSG training sessions, and also during the national team training sessions, we've already had to separate ourselves because we're very competitive. Tite has already done it. We want to win against each other, even though we're very good friends off the pitch. On the pitch, I always want to beat him.” 

Thiago Silva wished Neymar “good luck” for the rest of the season, with Santos still stuck in a relegation dogfight. The 40-year-old centre-half is no longer part of the Brazil squad, but Neymar - the Selecao’s all-time leading goalscorer - is hoping to grace the World Cup finals next summer.