SAO PAULO — Neymar found himself under scrutiny following his absence from a crucial semifinal match for Santos, which faced archrivals Corinthians in the Sao Paulo state championship. Santos was narrowly defeated 2-1 on Sunday, and Neymar remained benched throughout the match. On Monday, Neymar cited a minor injury as the reason for his inactivity but did not provide further specifics.
This explanation came into question after the forward was recently spotted enjoying the festivities at the Rio de Janeiro Carnival. Just days prior, Neymar attended the prestigious Carnival parade at the Sambadrome, only hours after he exited another Sao Paulo state match due to a suspected left thigh injury on March 2. Neymar, who has been back with Santos, his original club, since January, recently made his comeback after spending over a year recovering from an ACL tear.
Santos officials had not indicated any health issues with Neymar before the game against Corinthians. “All I wanted was to be on the pitch and help my teammates in some way,” Neymar expressed on Instagram. “But last Thursday I felt a discomfort that prevented me from being on the pitch. We took a test this morning, and I ended up feeling it again.”
The club’s coach, Pedro Caixinha, disclosed he asked Neymar to stay on the bench due to the discomfort. “It was just a discomfort, but it meant he couldn’t participate. It was my request, and he agreed to be with the squad,” remarked Caixinha in a post-match conference. “He’s a different player; he is enlightened and has fantastic energy. Neymar suffered a lot for not being able to participate in the game.”
Despite these clarifications, criticism arose from across sports pundits, many questioning Neymar’s dedication to reinvigorating his career at Santos following stints with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Al-Hilal. Notably, commentator Walter Casagrande Jr. accused Neymar of choosing leisure over professional commitments in his statements on social channels. “He chose Carnival over the semifinal,” Casagrande remarked. “Neymar’s behavior of the last five, six years has come back. He switches the professional side for pleasure and fun.”
In response, Santos’ president Marcelo Texeira insisted there were medical evaluations from Friday to Sunday indicating Neymar was unfit to play against Corinthians. “It is a precaution, we understood we shouldn’t (play him),” Teixeira claimed. “It is not about the national team, it is because he had not conditions (to play). He is in a process of recovery. We need to understand that.”
European media echoed the sentiment, with Spanish outlet Marca dubbing it, “Neymar’s saddest Carnival after being tossed by Barcelona; on the bench and knocked out.”
Neymar, now 33, has delivered three goals and as many assists across seven matches since rejoining Santos. His performances have earned him a call-up to Brazil’s squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina by coach Dorival Jr. Looking forward, Neymar is expected to appear for Santos on March 29 in the Brazilian league’s opener against Vasco da Gama. Santos had earned promotion to the top-tier league after being relegated during the 2023 season.
