Public opinion and media debates around Neymar—discover key moments of controversy.
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, commonly known as Neymar, is a Brazilian professional footballer renowned for his exceptional skills, dribbling, playmaking, and finishing. He plays as a left winger, attacking midfielder, or forward. Considered one of the best players of all time, Neymar has achieved the distinction of scoring at least 100 goals for three different clubs: Santos, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He is also Brazil's all-time top goalscorer.
September 2010: Penalty Dispute and Manager Sacking
In September 2010, during a league match against Atlético Goianiense, Neymar's reaction to manager Dorival Júnior's decision to appoint another player to take a penalty led to a dispute and the eventual sacking of the manager. The situation was that Neymar had missed a crucial penalty during the Copa do Brasil final that year, even if Santos went on to win.
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March 2011: Goals and Racism Allegations Against Scotland
On March 27, 2011, Neymar scored twice against Scotland, and afterwards, he complained about racism after a banana was thrown onto the pitch, leading to controversy and denial from Scottish officials.
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January 2014: Investigation of transfer fee and Rosell's resignation
In January 2014, the prosecutor's office in Madrid began investigating the transfer fee that Barcelona paid for Neymar, leading to Rosell's resignation as president on January 23, 2014.
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June 2015: Goal and Red Card at the 2015 Copa América
In June 2015, at the 2015 Copa América, Neymar scored against Peru but received a red card against Colombia, leading to a four-match ban.
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2015: Copa del Rey Final goal and unsporting behavior accusation
On May 30, 2015, Neymar scored the second goal for Barcelona in the 2015 Copa del Rey Final. He was accused of unsporting behavior for performing tricks with the ball in the final stages of the game.
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August 2017: Barcelona files lawsuit against Neymar
On August 27, 2017, Barcelona filed a lawsuit against Neymar, demanding he return the contract renewal bonus and pay damages.
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2018: Criticism for Diving and "Neymar Challenge"
In 2018, Neymar faced criticism for excessive diving, leading to the viral "Neymar Challenge" during the World Cup. He was also the most fouled player in the top five leagues, drawing accusations of exaggerating injuries. Neymar later addressed the criticism, promising to improve his behavior.
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2018: Pelé's Criticism of Neymar's Discipline
In 2018, Pelé criticized Neymar's lack of professional discipline, citing concerns about his lifestyle impacting his football career.
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January 2019: Foot injury and UEFA ban
In late January 2019, Neymar suffered a foot injury, sidelining him from PSG's Champions League match against Manchester United. After PSG was eliminated, Neymar was banned by UEFA for three matches for insulting video review officials.
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July 2019: Rape Investigation Dropped
In July 2019, police dropped a rape investigation against Neymar due to insufficient evidence.
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2022: Endorsed Jair Bolsonaro in Presidential Election
In 2022, Neymar endorsed Jair Bolsonaro in a TikTok video leading up to the Brazilian presidential election, receiving criticism for his support.
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2022: Supports Jair Bolsonaro in Brazilian general election
In 2022, Neymar supported Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in the Brazilian general election.
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February 2023: Neymar defends actions
In February 2023, Neymar defended himself, saying "It's my life, I do what I want."
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March 2023: Season-ending surgery and fan protests
In March 2023, PSG announced that Neymar would undergo surgery, ruling him out for the rest of the season. PSG supporters protested against the club's direction, insulting Neymar. Some individuals also demanded Neymar to leave the club.
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2023: Media reaction to transfer to Saudi Arabia
In 2023, after Neymar's move to Saudi Arabia, various media outlets referred to him as the 'Prince who never became King', while others defended his legacy as one of football's all-time greats.
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2023: Potential Fine for Environmental Violations
In the summer of 2023, Neymar potentially faced a $1 million fine for environmental violations during the construction of his Mangaratiba mansion, including unauthorized waterway diversion and use of beach sand.
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