Major Controversies Surrounding Neymar: A Detailed Timeline

Public opinion and media debates around Neymar—discover key moments of controversy.

Neymar Júnior is a Brazilian professional footballer renowned for his exceptional dribbling, technical skills, playmaking, and finishing abilities. He currently plays for Santos and captains the Brazil national team. Widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, Neymar is among the few players to have scored 100 goals for three different clubs. He is Brazil's all-time top goalscorer and assist provider in the UEFA Champions League, ranks second among South American men's top international goalscorers, and was formerly the all-time top assist provider in international football. He boasts over 400 career goals and 250 assists.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

September 2010: Penalty Dispute and Manager Sacking

On 15 September 2010, during a league match against Atlético Goianiense, a penalty dispute led to Santos' manager being sacked after he wanted to have Neymar suspended for two weeks.

January 2014: Investigation into Neymar's transfer fee

In January 2014, the prosecutor's office in Madrid initiated an investigation into the transfer fee paid by Barcelona for Neymar. On January 23, 2014, Sandro Rosell resigned as president. The transfer cost was revealed to be €86.2 million (£71.5 million), with Neymar's parents receiving €40 million. Subsequently, Barcelona and Bartomeu faced tax fraud charges.

June 2015: Suspension at the 2015 Copa América

In June 2015, during the Copa América, Neymar scored and assisted in Brazil's opening match against Peru. However, after a loss to Colombia, he received a red card for kicking the ball at an opponent, resulting in a four-match suspension and a $10000 fine, ending his tournament.

2015: Barcelona Wins Copa del Rey final with Neymar scoring

After securing the league title on May 17 with a 1–0 win over Atlético Madrid, Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao 3–1 at Camp Nou in the 2015 Copa del Rey Final on May 30, with Neymar scoring the second goal for Barça. With Barcelona's victory likely, he performed tricks with the ball in the final stages of the game, which was deemed unsporting by opponent Andoni Iraola. Barcelona manager Luis Enrique claimed that it had to be understood that such behaviour was acceptable in Brazil, while Neymar himself did not apologise.

August 2017: Lawsuit filed by Barcelona

In August 2017, Barcelona filed a lawsuit against Neymar, demanding the return of his contract renewal bonus and €8.5 million in damages plus an additional 10% for arrears on August 27, 2017.

2018: Criticism for excessive diving

During the 2018 World Cup, Neymar was criticized for excessive diving, leading to the "Neymar Challenge" on social media. He later addressed the criticism in a commercial, promising to change his behavior. He was also criticized by Pele for complicating his God-given gift by his behavior off the pitch.

2018: Involvement in Paris Fashion Week and Other Events

In 2018, Neymar began adopting more of a "pop star" lifestyle, including attending Paris Fashion Week and hanging out with celebrities. This lifestyle change was viewed by some as a distraction from his football career.

July 2019: Absent from training with PSG

In July 2019, Neymar was absent from training with PSG, which led to disciplinary action by the club. He expressed a desire to leave PSG due to feeling unprotected by referees, jealousy from teammates, lack of appreciation from fans, and negative media coverage.

July 2019: Rape investigation against Neymar dropped

In July 2019, police dropped a rape investigation against Neymar due to insufficient evidence.

2019: Skipped Ligue 1 awards and Ballon d'Or nomination absence

At the end of the 2018-2019 season, Neymar skipped Ligue 1's end-of-season awards ceremony to party with singer Rihanna, causing Mbappé to demand more responsibility within the PSG squad. In 2019, Neymar was not nominated for the Ballon d'Or for the first time since 2010 due to injuries and off-field issues.

August 2020: Neymar's contract with Nike ends

In August 2020, Neymar's 11-year contract with Nike ended after a Nike employee made a sexual assault complaint against him, leading him to sign with Puma and adopt the PUMA King boots.

2022: Neymar supports Jair Bolsonaro

In 2022, Neymar publicly supported Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in the Brazilian general election.

2022: Neymar supports Jair Bolsonaro in TikTok video

In the days leading up to the 2022 Brazilian presidential election, Neymar appeared in a TikTok video promoting President Jair Bolsonaro, receiving heavy criticism for his endorsement.

February 2023: Criticism after PSG loss

In February 2023, following PSG's loss to Bayern Munich, Neymar faced criticism after images surfaced of him in a fast-food restaurant. He defended his actions, stating, "It's my life, I do what I want."

2023: Neymar faces fine for environmental violations

In the summer of 2023, Neymar faced a potential $1 million fine for environmental violations during the construction of his Mangaratiba mansion, including diverting a waterway and using beach sand without permission.