Neymar under fire after tense argument with Santos fans: ‘They can’t treat me like this’

Santos are having serious trouble getting positive results this season, both domestically and continentally. In that context, Neymar was involved in a tense argument with some fans, who demanded a greater level of commitment to the club.

This Tuesday, Santos drew 1-1 against Recoleta FC in the Copa Sudamericana group stage and, after the final whistle, some people at Urbano Caldeira Stadium booed the Brazilian forward, who responded with gestures asking them to be quiet.

“I’m going to give you your minute of fame. Am I spoiled? I’m giving absolutely everything out here and you don’t respect that,” Ney said to one of the fans who criticized him. He then took aim at the fan’s physical appearance: “You should train more! You’re getting a little chubby!”

A few minutes after that tense exchange, Neymar gave an interview to ESPN in which he addressed his confrontation with the fans in the stands. “I understand fans who criticize our play, but when it becomes personal and they attack me in a different way, I can’t accept it,” he said.

“I can’t accept it because I’m a very consistent guy. I give my life for soccer and for this club. I even do more than I should, so they can’t treat me like this,” added the 34-year-old star. “I’m not saying they shouldn’t criticize my performances on the field, but I don’t accept criticism for what I do off it.”

Santos struggling to find direction

The fans’ animosity toward Neymar, while surprising, is understandable given that the team’s recent results have fallen well short of expectations. After avoiding relegation in the final matches of last year, they entered this season with hopes of competing for trophies, but so far that has not been the case.

In the Brazilian Serie A, Santos are in 15th place with just three wins in 11 matches, only three points clear of the relegation zone. Their Copa Sudamericana campaign has also been underwhelming: they lost their opener against Deportivo Cuenca and drew their second match against Recoleta FC, leaving them at the bottom of Group D for now.

Neymar needs to stand out at Santos

Santos’ slow start to the season certainly does not help Neymar. He has two months to try to show Carlo Ancelotti that he is in peak physical and competitive condition to be part of the 26-man roster that will represent Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Individually, however, he has shown consistent form. So far in 2026, Ney has recorded eight appearances for Santos, with seven goal contributions (four goals and three assists). Those are solid numbers, especially considering the difficult team context, which has included a recent coaching change.