Neymar Criticized After Carnaval Visit and Injury

Just over a month after returning to his youth club FC Santos, Brazil’s football star Neymar is under scrutiny. The criticism stems from his attendance at a Carnaval event in Rio de Janeiro and his subsequent absence during the Campeonato Paulista semifinal against Corinthians, which ended in a 1-2 defeat for Santos on Saturday.

Santos coach Pedro Caixinha explained Neymar’s absence by citing a „thigh problem“ affecting the 33-year-old player. On March 2, Neymar participated in the Carnaval parade at the Sambadrome just hours after another competitive match, where he had been substituted due to injury.

According to Caixinha, he had requested Neymar to sit on the bench during the match against Corinthians, despite the injury. „He is a different player, energetic and has fantastic enthusiasm. Neymar suffered greatly from not being able to participate in the match,“ said Caixinha.

However, media and experts have criticized Neymar for allegedly prioritizing personal enjoyment over his football commitments.

At the end of January, Neymar returned to FC Santos after stints with FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and a short period at Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, aiming to rejuvenate his career.

Brazil’s national coach Dorival Junior has called him up for World Cup qualifying matches against Colombia on March 21 and Argentina on March 26. Neymar had missed previous national team duties following an ACL injury he sustained in October 2023.