Neymar Jr.’s final appearance for Santos before the 2026 World Cup took a surreal and tragic turn, ending in a massive tantrum, tears, and a heavy defeat.
During a crucial Brazilian league match against Coritiba, which Santos lost 3-0, the 33-year-old superstar became the victim of a rare officiating error. While Neymar was receiving treatment on the sidelines, the fourth official mistakenly signaled his substitution for Robinho Jr., instead of replacing the Argentine defender Escobar as originally planned by the coaching staff.
The former Barcelona star was left in disbelief, even attempting to storm back onto the pitch, which resulted in a yellow card for dissent.
Neymar even went as far as showing the official substitution slip to the cameras, proving the technical error. However, to avoid a procedural mistake that could have forced a match replay, the officials stood by the change, forcing Neymar to watch the rest of the game from the bench.
🇧🇷🤯 WTFFF!!! Neymar was substituted because the fourth official got the number on the board wrong – “10” INSTEAD OF “31”
Brazilian football… 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/WgDe8VfdXZ
— Rising Stars XI (@RisingStarXI) May 17, 2026
After the match, Neymar was seen sobbing, distraught by the missed opportunity to prove his fitness to Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti. While Neymar is part of the 55-man preliminary squad, his place in the final 26-man roster for the World Cup in North America remains uncertain.
