Neymar faced criticism for missing a semifinal match with Santos after being seen at the Carnival festivities last week. Santos lost 2-1 to their archrivals Corinthians in the semifinals of the Sao Paulo state championship on Sunday, with Neymar remaining on the bench for the entire 90 minutes. On Monday, Neymar explained that he had a minor injury but didn’t provide further details.
Earlier in the week, Neymar was photographed attending the Carnival parade at Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome, just hours after being substituted in a Sao Paulo state championship match on March 2 due to a suspected left thigh injury. Neymar had recently returned to Santos, his boyhood club, in January after recovering from an ACL tear that had kept him sidelined for over a year. Santos did not mention any injury concerns with Neymar prior to the semifinal match on Sunday.
Neymar took to Instagram to explain his absence from the game, saying, “All I wanted was to be on the pitch and help my teammates in some way. But last Thursday, I felt a discomfort that kept me from playing. We did a test this morning, and I felt it again.” Santos’ coach, Pedro Caixinha, mentioned that he had asked Neymar to remain on the bench despite the injury.
Santos coach Pedro Caixinha explained in a press conference after his team’s elimination that Neymar’s absence was due to a minor discomfort, which prevented him from playing. “It was just a discomfort, but it meant he couldn’t participate. It was my request, and he agreed to stay with the squad,” Caixinha said. He added that Neymar, with his unique energy and talent, was disappointed about not being able to play.
Despite Caixinha’s comments, many critics accused Neymar of not prioritizing his career. Neymar is attempting to revive his career at Santos after playing for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Al-Hilal. Popular pundit Walter Casagrande Jr. expressed his criticism on social media, saying, “He chose Carnival over the semifinal. Neymar’s behavior over the last five or six years has been the same. He prioritizes pleasure and fun over professionalism.”
Santos president Marcelo Teixeira told local media that Neymar was examined multiple times between Friday and Sunday, and all tests confirmed he was unfit to play against Corinthians. “It was a precautionary measure; we understood that he shouldn’t play,” Teixeira said. “It’s not about the national team; it’s because he didn’t have the conditions to play. He’s still in the recovery process, and we need to respect that.”
Spanish newspaper Marca referred to Neymar’s week as “his saddest Carnival since being dismissed by Barcelona, sitting on the bench and getting knocked out.”
In response to the heavy criticism, Santos released a video showing Neymar, visibly emotional, speaking to his teammates in the dressing room before the semifinal match. “It’s very hard to be out in moments like this. I’m trying to control myself and not show the sadness I feel,” Neymar said. “If you can, run for me. I wish I could be there with you, running for each of you. You don’t know how desperate I am inside.”
Since his return, the 33-year-old striker has scored three goals and provided three assists in seven matches for Santos, which helped convince Brazil coach Dorival Jr. to call him up for World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina this month. Neymar’s next match with Santos is likely to be on March 29, after the international break, in the opening round of the Brazilian league against Vasco da Gama. Santos has returned to the country’s top league after being relegated in 2023.