Neymar faces a 12-match suspension. The reason has been revealed
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
Neymar’s dream of playing at the 2026 World Cup is now in jeopardy—because of his own words.
Details: After Santos’ 2-0 victory over Remo, the 34-year-old forward gave a controversial interview that could cost him a spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad. Neymar lashed out at referee Savio Pereira Sampaio, who had shown him a yellow card for dissent, and according to TalkSport, he now faces a possible 12-match suspension.
The reason for this potentially severe punishment isn’t just his complaints about officiating—but harsh, discriminatory remarks.
“Savio is always like that. I think he woke up in a bad mood, as they say, ‘on those days,’ and came to the game like that. You couldn’t even talk to him,” Neymar said, laughing, live on SporTV.
These comments sparked outrage across Brazil, where they were widely condemned as sexist and offensive.
The situation is extremely serious: earlier this year, Red Bull Bragantino defender Gustavo Marques was handed a 12-match suspension for similar sexist remarks directed at a female referee. If the federation imposes the same sanction on Neymar, he’ll miss the rest of the club season and lose valuable match fitness just before Brazil’s World Cup squad is announced.
Reminder: Neymar is already set to miss Santos’ next two matches.
