After IPL’s notes and letters, Brazilian international Neymar Junior has also come into the spotlight for his on-pitch theatrics with the paper straight at the face of the fourth official. The incident during a Serie A (Brazil) match between Santos FC and Coritiba on Sunday.
The substitution controversy led to a sea of chaos amongst the Santos players on the pitch, while Neymar was hauled off the pitch. This incident can be detrimental for Neymar’s international career, given that head coach Carlo Ancelotti is set to announce the final 26-man squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026.
In all likelihood, this might be the last World Cup for NJR, but given his lean patch in football, things might not work in his favour for the 34-year-old.
Why Was Neymar Furious?
The 34-year-old claimed the fourth official made a substitution error, mistakenly taking him off instead of his teammate Gonzalo Escobar. The confusion arose after Neymar briefly left the field due to a calf injury, which led to the mix-up. The fourth official then raised the substitution board showing number 10, and Robinho Jr came on in his place. However, when Neymar attempted to return to the field, he was shown a yellow card and reacted angrily.
Esto que acaba de pasar en Brasil es INCREÍBLE.
El cuarto árbitro SE EQUIVOCÓ EN EL CAMBIO DEL SANTOS y SACÓ A NEYMAR del partido.
Ney agarró el papel del cambio, lo mostró a la CÁMARA, pero NO LO DEJARON VOLVER.
La calentura del 10… 🤬🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/8jsKRxOKp6
— Ataque Futbolero (@AtaqueFutbolero) May 17, 2026 ">
The referee dismissed his protests, prompting Neymar to snatch the substitution slip from the officials and display it to the TV cameras, insisting that Gonzalo Escobar, not him, was supposed to be substituted.
"The fourth official got the substitution wrong," Santos said in a post on X. "This was confirmed by the television coverage and by the note used by the officials during the substitution. An inexplicable error that was not corrected," the club added.
Neymar's Substitution Chaos Casts Shadow on His Future
The untimely substitution of Neymar could not have come at a worse time than now, especially when the World Cup squad announcement is knocking at the door. But why is Neymar, once considered the wonderboy of world football and that of Brazil,l staring at an oblivion from jogo bonito?
The problem has been Neymar's past footballing actions. Since 2023, the 34-year-old has not featured regularly for Brazil at the international level, not getting the required minutes under his belt. Despite being Brazil's all-time top scorer with 79 goals, Neymar has not played for his country since 2023 due to injuries and a knee surgery that kept him sidelined for a year.
The former Barca forward has been abysmal in the 2025-26 season as well for his boyhood club, FC Santos, scoring just 4 goals and giving 2 assists.
On the other hand, head coach Carlos Ancelotti has made it crystal clear that Neymar's selection in the team will be based on his match fitness and not on the common public sentiment towards him. Naturally, with so many permutations and combinations in consideration, the substitution fiasco has definitely dented his overall chances.
Story first published: Monday, May 18, 2026, 12:45 [IST]
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