‘I Overreacted’: Neymar Apologises to Robinho Jr. After Santos Rift

Neymar has once again found himself at the centre of attention, this time not for his football, but for a training ground incident involving teenage teammate Robinho Jr. at Brazilian club Santos FC.

The controversy emerged earlier this week after reports claimed Neymar slapped the 18 year old during a training session following an argument. Robinho Jr. , son of former Brazil star Robinho, was said to have been involved in a disagreement with the senior forward during practice.

With speculation growing rapidly across Brazilian media, Neymar addressed the issue publicly after Santos’ 1-1 draw against Deportivo Recoleta in the Copa Sudamericana on Tuesday night.

The 34 year old admitted he reacted badly during the exchange and confirmed that he had apologised soon after the incident.

“These things happen in football,” Neymar told reporters after the match. “It was a disagreement during training. I reacted badly and exaggerated a little. But we spoke in the dressing room afterwards and came to an understanding.”

Despite scoring in the match, Neymar’s comments off the field drew more attention than his performance on it. The episode has added another layer of scrutiny to a player already fighting to rebuild his image and fitness after a difficult few years.

Brazil’s all time leading scorer with 79 international goals , Neymar has not represented the national team since suffering a serious ACL injury in October 2023. Since then, questions have continued over whether the superstar can return to his best in time for the upcoming World Cup.

New Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti is expected to announce his World Cup squad on May 18 , making every appearance and every headline surrounding Neymar increasingly significant.

While the Santos dressing room appears to have moved on from the incident, the spotlight on Neymar remains as intense as ever. For a player trying to script one final chapter with Brazil , even moments away from the pitch are now shaping the conversation around his future.