- Neymar was sent off after scoring an illegal handball goal in the 75th minute
- Santos lost 0–1 at home to Botafogo following Neymar’s red card
- The star was left out of Brazil’s squad by Carlo Ancelotti and reacted angrily
Key Takeaways:
Superstar Neymar is once again making headlines in Brazil after a bizarre incident during Santos’ tense clash with champions Botafogo in the 11th round of the league.
The visitors won 1–0 at the legendary stadium of Pele’s club, with Arthur netting the decisive goal in the 86th minute. But the key moment came earlier, in the 75th minute, when Neymar stole the spotlight.
A sharp cross from the left was parried awkwardly by Botafogo’s goalkeeper John, and Neymar poked the ball into the net, sending the home crowd into frenzy. But the forward remained on the goal line writhing in pain, as Botafogo players surrounded the referee.
✋ Neymar was sent off for recreating the Hand of God…pic.twitter.com/Aq191WUwMF
— The Sportsman (@TheSportsman) June 2, 2025
Replays showed clearly — Neymar had scored with his hand, in a manner reminiscent of Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” goal against England in 1986. The goal was invalid but more than that, the referee didn’t hesitate to show Neymar a second yellow card — in line with the rules. The star had already been booked in the first half for dissent.
Reduced to ten men and without their key player, Santos conceded late and lost. Up to that point, they had held the advantage and looked like the side more likely to win.
Thus, Brazil’s golden boy continues to make news for the wrong reasons. Just days ago, new national team coach Carlo Ancelotti announced his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers — and Neymar’s name was missing. According to “O Globo”, Neymar was furious about the omission and even contacted people within the federation to voice his anger.
Meanwhile, Santos are struggling at the bottom of the table with only 8 points from 11 games. Only one team — Sport Recife (3 points) — sits below them.
Neymar has started just two league matches this season following recovery from injury. In his second start, he was sent off. With stats like these, Ancelotti’s decision doesn’t look surprising at all.