Ancelotti was watching...
Neymar (34, Santos) exploded in anger amid an absurd substitution incident while Brazil national team coach Carlo Ancelotti (67) watched. It is bad news that broke just before the World Cup roster announcement.
British tabloid Daily Mail reported on the 18th (KST) that "Neymar clashed fiercely with the referees after an incorrect substitution ruling during the Coritiba match. This happened just 24 hours before Ancelotti's announcement of the final World Cup roster," the paper said.
Santos suffered a 0-3 loss to Coritiba in a Brazilian league match held on the 18th. Neymar, who started the match, roamed the field with strong motivation, but the bizarre substitution scene drew more attention than the match itself.
The problem occurred around the 20th minute of the second half. Neymar had briefly left the field to treat calf pain. At that time the fourth official made a fatal mistake by showing Neymar's number 10 on the substitution board instead of Gonzalo Escobar.
The Santos bench and Neymar immediately protested. Neymar tried to return to the field but was instead shown a yellow card by the referee. Enraged, he snatched the substitution slip the referees were holding and held it up in front of TV cameras to strongly argue that it was Escobar, not him, who was supposed to be substituted.
The decision was not overturned, and Neymar was unfairly substituted out. He handed the captain's armband to Escobar and left the field. Santos also criticized the decision in an official statement after the match, saying, "The fourth official applied the substitution incorrectly. This was confirmed by broadcast footage and the referees' notes and is an incomprehensible mistake."
Of all things, this whole farce took place in front of the gaze of Ancelotti, who will decide the Brazil squad. Brazil is set to announce its 26-man CONCACAF World Cup final roster on the 19th. What should have been a stage to demonstrate strength to Ancelotti instead saw him leave the field as if chased away by a referee's mistake.
On top of that, a recent training ground assault controversy also surfaced. According to the Daily Mail, Neymar assaulted Robinho's son, Robinho Jr. (18), who is his teammate and previously played at Manchester City, earlier this month during training. The incident began when Robinho Jr. successfully dribbled past Neymar. The outlet reported, "An enraged Neymar slapped Robinho Jr. hard across the face and tripped him by hooking his leg." Robinho Jr.'s side is currently demanding contract termination from Santos and calling for a full investigation.
With multiple controversies piling up, Ancelotti's dilemma deepened. According to the Daily Mail, Brazil President Lula recently revealed a conversation he had with Ancelotti. Lula said, "Ancelotti asked me about selecting Neymar, and I replied, 'If he is physically ready, his skills are more than enough. What I want to know is whether he truly wants the World Cup.'"
Ancelotti also took a cautious stance ahead of the roster announcement, saying, "Neymar is an important player with outstanding talent, but there have been several recent issues. It's certainly not an easy decision, and we must weigh the pros and cons carefully."
Neymar, Brazil's all-time top scorer (79 goals), has not played in an A match since 2023 due to frequent injuries. He vowed a comeback by extending his contract with Santos through the end of 2026 with the goal of playing in the World Cup, but misfortune and controversies struck immediately before the roster announcement. Attention is focused on whether he will be chosen by Ancelotti to return to the World Cup stage.
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