Neymar Jr. scored Santos’ only goal in their 1-1 draw against Deportivo Recoleta on Tuesday in the Copa Sudamericana group stage.
The Brazilian star had put Santos ahead at the Vila Belmiro stadium with his first goal since returning from injury, but the Paraguayan side, making their first-ever international appearance, managed to equalize, leaving Santos at the bottom of Group E.
Before giving an interview to ESPN Brasil, Neymar responded to the fans’ taunts with a “shut up” gesture (putting his finger to his lips).
After the match, Neymar explained why they failed to win: “We made mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, it happens. I think we created a lot of chances and played well, and we certainly didn’t play badly.”
He added, “The fans are nervous and demanding more from us, but our team is playing well and creating chances. I understand their frustration, but they need to realize that’s football; sometimes the ball just refuses to go in.”
After finishing his press conferences and heading towards the tunnel leading to the dressing rooms, Neymar exchanged words with the stands again, targeting a specific fan and calling him “fat.”
“You should have trained more,” Neymar said, laughing. “You’ve gotten fat!” As he started to walk away, he turned back to the fan and added, “You’re right… Are you happy now? Am I spoiled? I’m giving my all here, and I’ll give you the moment of fame you’re looking for.”
