Neymar Jr has hit back at his critics following his return to club football with Santos. The forward, who recently concluded his campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scored for his club and utilized his celebration to address recent negative attention surrounding his personal life and professional commitments.
Brazil's journey in the 2026 tournament, hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada, ended in disappointment. The Selecao suffered their earliest World Cup exit in 36 years after a 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16. Erling Haaland secured the victory for Norway with two goals in the final 11 minutes of regulation time. Although Neymar, who entered the match as a second-half substitute, managed to score a late stoppage-time penalty, it was not enough to prevent Brazil from exiting before the quarter-finals for the first time since 1990. Throughout the tournament, the 34-year-old made two appearances as a substitute, having returned to the international fold after a nearly three-year absence. Across his four World Cup participations, Neymar concludes his Selecao career with nine goals in 15 competition appearances.
The criticism directed at Neymar intensified after he was spotted at a poker tournament in Sao Paulo on the same day Santos were competing in a Copa Sudamericana match. Responding to the backlash, the former Barcelona star clarified that his absence from the game was part of a structured injury-management plan established by his club. He explained that he had completed morning training and was not scheduled to play because he was in the early stages of returning to full fitness. Furthermore, he noted that the day following the poker event was his designated day off. "People have come out and just keep talking about the fact that I play poker," Neymar stated. "I did my morning training. I did not go to the match because I had just started training again. The next day was my day off."
All-time Brazil top-scorer Neymar celebrated scoring for Santos on his return to club football after the Selecao's early exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada, which concluded last week.While Spain beat 10-man holders Argentina 1-0 in extra time in New Jersey to win a second title, Carlo Ancelot
Neymar, who had come on in the second half, scored a late stoppage-time penalty.However, it was too little too late as the Selecao lost before the quarter-finals for the first time since losing 1-0 to Argentina in the Round of 16 at Italia' 90.Neymar – who had returned to the international fold for the first time in ne
