Neymar’s final opportunity to cement his place in Brazil’s World Cup squad took a chaotic turn on Sunday when he was mistakenly subbed off the field due to a refereeing error, overshadowing Santos’ 3-0 loss to Coritiba.
The 34-year-old superstar—who is fighting to prove his match fitness to national team manager Carlo Ancelotti following a long-term knee injury—was briefly on the sidelines in the 65th minute receiving treatment for a calf issue. Seizing what they thought was a routine window, the officiating crew raised the substitution board showing Neymar’s No. 10 to be replaced by Robinho Jr. +1
However, the change was an completely unintended blunder. Santos manager Cuca had actually submitted a request to take off defender Gonzalo Escobar (No. 31), not his star forward. +1
Because Robinho Jr. had already stepped onto the pitch, the refereeing crew refused to reverse the decision. The mix-up sparked an angry reaction from Neymar, who vehemently protested on the touchline alongside his coaching staff. The referee, Paulo Cesar Zanovelli, responded by showing Neymar a yellow card for contesting the forced exit. In a desperate attempt to vindicate himself to the public, a frustrated Neymar snatched the official handwritten substitution slip from the bench and held it up directly to the television cameras, proving Escobar’s number was the one listed. +2
“It was a very serious mistake by the officials,” Neymar stated after the game, explaining that he had no idea he was being taken off until the damage was already done. Santos later released a statement calling the blunder an “inexplicable error.” +1
The high-profile mishap comes at the worst possible time for the forward, occurring just 24 hours before Ancelotti reveals Brazil’s final roster for the upcoming tournament. While Neymar has registered six goals and four assists for Santos since returning to action, his limited playing time and this latest bizarre interruption have added a layer of drama to his highly anticipated World Cup selection.