Neymar has responded strongly to the criticism surrounding his appearance at a poker tournament while Santos were playing in the Copa Sudamericana. The Brazilian forward insisted he had done nothing wrong, explaining that he was on a scheduled day off before telling critics to “mind your own business.”

The debate began after Neymar was not included in Santos’ squad for the first leg of their Copa Sudamericana play-off against Universidad Central in Venezuela. While Santos secured an impressive 4-1 victory away from home, videos of Neymar participating in the BSOP Winter poker tournament in São Paulo quickly spread across social media.

Why did Neymar stay back in Brazil?

Despite the online reaction, Neymar was not left out because he chose poker over football. Santos head coach Cuca had decided to keep the forward in Brazil as part of a carefully planned fitness programme following his recent injury struggles.

Earlier that day, Neymar had completed his scheduled training session at Santos’ CT Rei Pelé training centre. Only after finishing his work did he attend the poker event. He returned to the tournament the following day, which coincided with a scheduled day off for him and the players who had travelled to Venezuela.

Neymar breaks silence on social media

The criticism continued even after details of Santos’ plan became clear. Neymar first shared photographs from the poker tournament on Instagram with the caption, “Life is a joke.”

He later addressed the issue directly through a video on social media, explaining the sequence of events behind his decision to attend the tournament. “I worked in the morning, I didn’t go to the match, I returned to training. I was on a day off,” Neymar explained.

The Brazil international then mocked the criticism before ending his message with a direct response. “Mind your own business.”

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Cuca explains Santos’ decision

Santos coach Cuca also clarified that the club, not Neymar, made the decision to leave the experienced forward behind.

According to the coach, Neymar required additional physical work after spending time on the sidelines. He also felt the demanding trip to Venezuela was unnecessary with a busy run of matches approaching.

“What advantage was there in bringing him here?” Cuca said after Santos’ victory over Universidad Central while confirming Neymar had stayed in Brazil to continue training.

Neymar marks return with two goals

The original plan was for Neymar to make his comeback in Santos’ Brazilian Serie A match against Chapecoense, and the forward made an immediate impact.

He scored twice in a 2-2 draw at Vila Belmiro. Neymar gave Santos the lead in the 35th minute before Chapecoense struck twice after the break to move in front. Late in the game, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star converted a penalty to earn his side a point.

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Poker celebration sends clear message

Neymar’s first goal celebration quickly became one of the biggest talking points of the match.

After finding the net, he celebrated by pretending to deal playing cards, an apparent response to the criticism he received over attending the poker tournament. Television cameras also appeared to capture Neymar directing another pointed remark toward those who had questioned his actions.

The match was Neymar’s first appearance for Santos since Brazil’s World Cup campaign and followed several days of managed training to rebuild his fitness.

There was one setback during the evening. Neymar received his third yellow card of the Brazilian Serie A season, which means he will miss Santos’ next league fixture against Athletico-PR on August 9.

Even so, the forward answered the week’s criticism in the most visible way possible. After speaking out on social media, he backed up his words on the pitch with two goals and a celebration that reflected the controversy surrounding him.

FAQs

Why did Neymar miss Santos’ Copa Sudamericana match?

Santos rested Neymar in Brazil as part of a planned fitness programme following his injury recovery.

How did Neymar respond to the poker criticism?

He defended himself on social media and scored twice for Santos, celebrating with a card-dealing gesture