Neymar has declared that he feels blessed to have not ended up in a wheelchair following a horror challenge from Colombia's Juan Zuniga during the World Cup.

The Barcelona star, who suffered a fractured vertebra when he was kneed in the back by the defender, admitted that he is lucky to still have the use of his legs following the incident.

"God blessed me," he told reporters. "If it had been another two centimetres I could be in a wheelchair today."

Neymar went on to say that Zuniga contacted him to apologise for the World Cup-ending challenge the following day, but hinted that he has not forgiven the Napoli man.

"I don't hate him, I don't hold a grudge," he added. "But I don't feel anything."

Zuniga's tackle went unpunished by governing body FIFA.