Overview
- On Saturday, July 25, Neymar scored twice to rescue a 2-2 draw with Chapecoense at Vila Belmiro and celebrated by miming dealing playing cards in response to recent poker‑related criticism.
- He picked up a yellow card late in the match that counted as his third booking in the league and triggers a one‑match suspension for Santos' next Serie A fixture.
- Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte reported that Neymar verbally abused younger players Gabriel Bontempo and João Ananias in the dressing room after the game, and Santos has opened an internal inquiry into the incident.
- Neymar has publicly denied the specific allegations on social media, saying the rebuke was directed at the whole team and calling the reports lies, while he later posted a sarcastic image with Bontempo that both players shared.
- The episode compounds broader friction between Neymar and Santos reported by several outlets, including disputes over delayed image‑rights payments, past training clashes, and growing doubts about whether the partnership will continue past 2026.