Neymar showed signs of frustration on the eve of Brazil's World Cup squad announcement after losing his temper with a referee during Santos' match on Sunday. An officiating blunder led to the forward being accidentally substituted in the second half of Santos' 3-0 defeat by Coxa, while Neymar was off the pitch receiving treatment.
It is understood that Santos intended to substitute Gonzalo Escobar, with Robinho Jr coming on in his place. However, the officials mistakenly held up the number 10, Neymar's shirt number. Neymar attempted to re-enter the field but was shown a yellow card and was eventually forced to leave.
In protest, he grabbed the substitution slip and repeatedly gestured to the officials that they had made a mistake, showing it to the camera. The incident occurred 24 hours before Neymar learns whether he will be included in Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad for the World Cup this summer.
World Cup Squad Uncertainty
The 34-year-old, who has earned 124 caps for his country, was omitted from the squad in March, casting doubt on his international future. However, he was included in the provisional 55-man squad last week, which will be reduced to 26 on Monday.
Earlier this month, Robinho Jr, son of disgraced former Manchester City forward Robinho, reportedly sought to terminate his contract with Santos after alleging he was 'violently slapped in the face' by Neymar. He accused Santos of failing to provide 'minimum safety conditions'.
According to Brazilian outlet R7, Robinho Jr issued a notice accusing Neymar of 'uttering offensive insults, tripping him, and violently slapping him in the face'. He also requested that Santos investigate the incident, provide footage of the training session, issue a statement, and schedule a meeting to discuss terminating his contract.
Neymar and Robinho Jr were training with the club's reserves when the 34-year-old took exception to being dribbled past by his 18-year-old teammate, as reported by Globo. An argument ensued after Neymar told him to 'take it easy', leading to the pair pushing each other. It is claimed that Neymar then slapped and tripped Robinho Jr, resulting in both being removed from the session. It remains unclear if there have been any further developments.
Presidential Input
Brazil's president revealed that Ancelotti sought his advice on whether to select Neymar for the World Cup. Lula said: 'I had the chance to speak with Ancelotti, and he asked me: "Do you think Neymar should be called up?" I said: "Look, Ancelotti, if he's physically fit, he's got the football. What I need to know is whether he actually wants it."'
Ancelotti commented: 'When you have to choose, you have to consider many things. Neymar is an important player for this country because of the talent he has always shown. But he has had problems and is working hard to recover. He has improved a lot recently and is playing regularly. It is, obviously, not such an easy decision for me. We have to weigh up the pros and cons carefully.'
