THE Colombian defender who ended Brazilian star Neymar’s World Cup has received a string of racist death threats.

HUNTED: Juan Zuniga’s challenge on Neymar has caused the Brazilian to be ruled out of the World Cup

Hours after players read out anti-racist messages before the South American showdown, Juan Zuniga was called a "black b******”, "monkey” and “slave”.

Several messages included threats to kill the player.

Last night there were fears for 28-year-old Zuniga’s safety as Colombian officials flew him home after his team lost 2-1 to Brazil on Friday.

The tide of offensive insults came after the full-back charged into Neymar, 22, ­fracturing his vertebrae.

He later apologised and said he never meant to hurt him.

But fans, fearing riots on the streets if Brazil go out against Germany in the semi-final on Tuesday, were soon gunning for Zuniga.

On Twitter Claudio Pena wrote: “Zuniga you f***** black scrotum. Scumbags die early and I am going to kill you. Zuniga black mother f****r, go f**k yourself, you f***in, c**k-sucking whore!”

One, called Thalyta, said: “I feel so angry, Neymar fought so hard, now a monkey from Colombia has robbed his glory... this f***** ugly blackman deserves to be shot.”

Raphael Tere18 waded in saying: “I’m not racist, but seriously Zuniga, you mother f***** black slave b*****. You can’t play so you had to break him instead.”

Hulk Bundaum called him a “black b*****”, while Caamin tweeted: “Zuniga black mother f*****, go f*** yourself, you f***in, c***-sucking whore.”

In one image on Twitter two girls posed with kitchen knives with the words: “Where’s Zuniga, let’s kill Zuniga.”

In another, there were angry men gesturing with their fingers across their throats.

And one more Brazilian ­supporter said: “Hitler you are officially forgiven if you resurrect and kill Zuniga.”

The abuse continued with a fan using the handle @fu writing: “Zuniga can ­consider himself a dead man. If no one kills him, witchcraft will kill him.”

Brazilians even targeted ­photos of the player’s daughter, posted two weeks ago.

Zuniga has now locked the account so it can no longer be accessed.

Earlier world football governing body Fifa was keen to hammer home its anti-racist message on “anti-discrimination day”.

Players in the Brazil match and the France-Germany game read out statements while banners pledging to stamp out racism were unfurled in the stands. Some fans were appalled by the Zuniga jibes.

Allesandra wrote: “People calling Zuniga black and ­monkey are disgusting. Yes he was wrong but this is just pure racism.”

Rafaela Figuiredo said: “I think it’s so sad on the day that Fifa decides to do something AGAINST the prejudice Brazilian fans start calling a player a black monkey.”

Fifa came under fire in the run-up to the game as the head of its anti-racism task force called for spotters to be put in stands to record abuse.

The governing body was slammed for failing to act after racist chanting from Mexican, Russian and Croatian fans.