Neymar, in white, confronting a fan
Neymar, on Thursday, July 24, 2025, had a heated exchange with a fan after his late goal was ruled out, condemning his boyhood club Santos to a 2-1 defeat against Internacional and leaving them stuck in the Brazilian Serie A relegation zone.
The 33-year-old, who has endured a frustrating spell since returning to Santos in 2025, marched over to the stands at the Estadio Urbano Caldeira at full-time to confront a fan who appeared to be shouting criticism his way.
Videos showed Neymar visibly agitated, gesticulating and raising his voice before giving a sarcastic thumbs up as a teammate stepped in to usher him away.
Santos had been pushing to salvage something after going two goals down against Internacional.
Alvaro Martin Barreal gave the home crowd hope with a goal in added time, and moments later Neymar thought he had completed the comeback when he rifled home with his left foot, sparking wild celebrations.
However, boos quickly replaced cheers as the referee ruled the ball had not fully crossed the line, denying Santos a crucial point in their fight for survival.
The defeat means Santos remain 17th on the table, with the bottom four clubs facing relegation to Serie B at the end of the season.
It’s been a nightmare homecoming so far for Neymar, who has struggled with injury setbacks, a controversial red card for handball, and a bout of COVID-19 since signing an extension that ties him to Santos until the end of 2025.
Neymar’s frustration was clear throughout the match as Santos fell behind early and conceded a penalty late on.
The Brazil star was already seen exchanging words with home fans during the second half and returned to the same area after the final whistle to continue the argument.
Santos have now lost three of their last five games and desperately need their talisman to lift them out of danger.
Watch the video below:
Santos lost once again last night and they now find themselves in the RELEGATION zone. 🇧🇷
After the game, Neymar got into a heated argument with fans. 😤 pic.twitter.com/7zuQ4XMGME
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) July 24, 2025
FKA/AE
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