Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has blasted British fans and claims the abuse he suffered during Uruguay's defeat to Team GB on Wednesday night was because they fear him.
Suarez was booed every time he touched the ball during the Olympic tournament match at the Millennium Stadium and failed to impress as Great Britain knocked the South Americans out of the competition.
The forward insists he was unaffected by the reception he received from the home fans, although he stated their decision to boo him during the pre-match national anthems showed "a total lack of respect".
"I think they jeer me and they boo me because they must be scared of facing a player like me," he told reporters.
"They fear me, but that doesn't affect me. I'm hurt because we lost and are going home. We all had a dream and that was to win the gold medal here.
"I can take the abuse. I don't mind. But I think it was a total lack of respect from the crowd to boo when we were trying to sing our national anthem. Those things should not happen."
Suarez was given an eight-match ban last season for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, and the controversy was re-ignited in February when Suarez refused to shake hands with the Frenchman during a Premier League clash between the two sides at Old Trafford.
Just last month, Suarez reopened the racism row by claiming the ban he received was due to United's "political power".
But team-mate Sebastian Coates believes the abuse his compatriot receives needs to stop.
"I'm tired of this situation with Luis," said the Liverpool defender.
"I think it has gone on too far and I don't like to see him being treated like this.
"I know the kind of person he is and I think the abuse he gets is very unfair. He knows all his team-mates and the whole country are fully behind him and I think fans over here should leave him alone."