Controversy in Brazil after Santos' elimination from Paulistão: Neymar was benched for pain... but he partied at Carnival

Neymar was delighting his fans in Santos, with a very in shape return to his original team and key goals and assists that allowed them to reach Paulista semi-finals, and the whole of Brazil, as he has been called for the Canarinha for two games next week (including vs. Argentina) after 16 months absent.

However, the past weekend, Santos fan weren't happy as Neymar was benched for the entirety of the match against Corinthians, that ended with a defeat: 2-1, Santos is eliminated and Neymar, who ends contract with Santos on June 30, will not be able to win any titles in this second and short tenure at the Brazilian club.

Why didn't Neymar play? In the previous match, quarter-final against Red Bull Bragantino, Neymar was substituted with some pain in the left thigh. It wasn't an injury, but due to some discomfort - and the fact that he had been called for Brazil next week, for two important games for the whole country given their fragile position in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers - Santos' coach, Portuguese Pedro Caixinha decided to bench him to give him time to recover, knowing how prone to injuries the 33-year-old player is. A tactical decision to ensure the player's health and his availability for the short term, that cost them dearly.

And the situation was exacerbated because Neymar, despite dealing with pain, posted pictures partying in Carnaval with his partner and other teammates, which was met with criticism from fans, questioning his commitment (like this post, which shows images of Neymar dancing with the quote "Neymar highlights against Corinthins". However, it was also reported that Neymar disagreed on Caixinha's decision to bench him on the day of the semi-final.