Neymar furious after being wrongly substituted and refused return to the pitch (video)

Nii Ayitey Brown 19:03 - 17 May 2026

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Neymar showing the intended substitution to the camera while venting his frustration

Neymar was left furious after being wrongly substituted during a Santos match and denied a return to the pitch despite a clear officiating error, leading to a yellow card for dissent.

Neymar was involved in a substitution controversy during Santos’ match after being mistakenly taken off due to a fourth official error.
The Brazilian forward attempted to return to the pitch after the mistake was noticed, but officials refused, as the substitution had already been completed.
Neymar received a yellow card for dissent after reacting angrily and protesting the decision on the sidelines.

Brazilian forward Neymar was at the centre of a bizarre substitution controversy during Santos’ 3-0 loss to Coritiba after a fourth official error led to him being taken off the pitch incorrectly.

The incident occurred when the fourth official displayed the wrong number on the substitution board, leading to Neymar being signalled to leave the pitch instead of the intended teammate.

Reports say Neymar initially left the field believing he had been substituted, only to later realise a mistake had been made.

🤯🇧🇷 Chaos in Brazil as Neymar was ACCIDENTALLY substituted after a mix-up from the fourth official during Santos’ game.

Neymar immediately showed the camera he wasn’t supposed to come off… but the officials REFUSED to let him back onto the pitch. 🤬 pic.twitter.com/I2TpibvWZX
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) May 17, 2026

According to Reuters, the Santos star was mistakenly taken off instead of teammate Gonzalo Escobar after briefly going down for treatment, sparking confusion among players, officials and the bench.

Once the error was identified, Neymar attempted to return to the field of play, but officials refused to allow him back on, as the substitution had already been completed.

In protest, the 33-year-old forward confronted match officials and showed the substitution sheet toward the cameras, visibly showing what he believed was an officiating mistake.

However, the situation escalated further when Neymar was shown a yellow card for dissent after repeatedly arguing the decision.

The booking left the Brazilian international furious and visibly emotional as he gestured toward the substitution document in frustration on the sidelines. Officiating standards in the Brazilian league has now come up for criticism.

Neymar, who has faced a series of injury setbacks and disciplinary incidents in recent seasons, remains a central figure for Santos both on and off the pitch as the club continues its campaign in Brazil’s top flight.

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