On Sunday, Brazilian soccer icon Neymar was visibly upset during a club match after a referee’s blunder resulted in his premature exit from the game.
The incident unfolded in the 65th minute, during Santos’ 3-0 defeat against Coritiba. Neymar, playing for Santos, was sidelined for treatment when the fourth official mistakenly displayed his No. 10 jersey number, indicating his substitution for Robinho Jr, as reported by the BBC.
It seemed the team intended to replace Gonzalo Escobar, not Neymar. As Neymar attempted to re-enter the field, he was penalized with a yellow card.
Frustrated by the mix-up, the Brazilian star snatched the substitution card from the official, brandishing it towards the camera to highlight the error made by the officiating team.
The Brazilian was apoplectic over the incident and grabbed the substitution card from the official, holding it up to the camera in order to point out the official’s mistake.
Broadcast video showed Neymar angrily pointing at the official several times and toward the pitch.
Neymar did hand over the captain’s armband to Escobar and left the field.
Santos put out a statement on social media after the match over the situation.
“The fourth official got the substitution wrong,” the club statement said. “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 bizarre circumstances come a day before Brazil is set to announce its roster for the 2026 World Cup.
Neymar has not played for the Brazilian national team since 2023 due to injuries.
He is the country’s all-time leading goal scorer with 79.
Neymar had been named to Brazil’s provisional 55-man roster last week, and that will be cut down to the final 26 that will take part in this year’s tournament.
Brazil will start the World Cup when it faces Morocco on June 13 at MetLife Stadium.
Their group stage schedule also includes matches against Haiti in Philadelphia and Scotland in Miami.
The Brazilian squad will also be using Red Bull New York’s brand new training facility in Morris Township, N.J., as their base camp.