Neymar went crazy because of the mistake: He snatched the paper and showed it to the cameras

The 34-year-old was sent off in dramatic fashion after claiming the fourth official had made a substitution error, bringing Neymar off for team-mate Gonzalo Escobar, although the forward was only temporarily off the pitch for calf treatment.

The fourth official held up the plaque with the number 10 worn by Neymar while Robinho Jr. took his place.

However, as Neymar tried to return to the pitch, he was shown a yellow card before engaging in a heated protest.

The referee refused to consider his arguments, and in a moment of desperation, Neymar snatched the substitution instruction sheet from the referee and showed it to the TV camera to prove that Escobar should have come off, not him.

The frustrated forward eventually left the field and handed the captain’s armband to Escobar, the player who should have been replaced in the first place.

Absolute during Santos’ 3-0 loss today

➝ A misunderstanding from the 4th official led to Neymar being subbed off in the 68th minute even though he wasn’t supposed to come off.

➝ Neymar walked straight to the camera to show everyone the mistake and he looked… pic.twitter.com/tbmiaHT1VB

— The Footy Feed (@TheFootyFeed) May 17, 2026

“The fourth official made the wrong substitution. This was confirmed by the television broadcast and the note used by the officials during the substitution. An inexplicable mistake that has not been corrected,” the club announced on its X profile.

The confusion came at the worst possible time for Neymar, with Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti set to announce his World Cup squad on Monday.

The Italian said Neymar’s selection will be based on physical fitness and form rather than sentiment.

He has six goals and four assists for Santos in all competitions this season.

Despite being Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 79 goals, Neymar has not played for his country since 2023 due to injuries and knee surgery that kept him out for a year.

(Vijesti.ba)