Neymar has vehemently denied reports that he verbally abused young Santos teammates during halftime of their recent 2-2 draw against Chapecoense. The 34-year-old star took to social media, branding the media accounts as “malicious lies” and insisting any dressing room rebuke was directed at the entire team, not individuals.
The incident allegedly occurred during Neymar’s first appearance for Santos since his international retirement following Brazil’s World Cup exit to Norway. Despite scoring twice in the match against Chapecoense, his performance was overshadowed by the post-game controversy.
Halftime accusations surface
Brazilian outlet Globe Esporte claimed that during the halftime interval, Neymar vented his anger at two younger teammates. According to the report, he allegedly called Gabriel Bontempo an “idiot” and suggested he would be playing for bottom-of-the-league Chapecoense next season. Globe Esporte also reported that Neymar criticised and questioned the technical ability of João Ananias, who later scored an own goal in the 62nd minute of the match. The situation reportedly caused “widespread displeasure” among players, coaching staff, and board members.
However, Neymar swiftly hit back via an Instagram video, directly refuting the accusations. “I see some rumours going around about me rebuking the younger players in the dressing room. This is not true at all. I ask whoever spread these words not to do so, don’t lie,” he stated.
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He further clarified the nature of the dressing room discussion, asserting it was a collective effort to motivate the team. “You can ask anyone in the dressing room, it was a rebuke of the team. I spoke, and Lucas spoke, and Arão, and Gabi, and Brazão… everyone, and of course there were rebukes, because we are competitors who want to win, but there were no rebukes directed at the younger players,” Neymar explained, as reported by Goal.com.
A fiery return to club action
Neymar’s return to Santos in 2025 saw him help the club survive relegation, but they continue to struggle in the bottom half of the league table this season. His recent match against Chapecoense was marked by a mix of brilliance and controversy.
He scored an early opener, followed by a bizarre celebration where he mimed a game of poker and swung a corner flag like a golf club.
He later added a second goal, bringing his tally to two for the match.
Neymar was subsequently booked for shoving two opponents, a yellow card that rules him out of Santos’s next fixture due to accumulation.
This incident marks a turbulent start to his post-international career at his boyhood club, as he navigates both on-field challenges and off-field accusations.
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