Neymar responded with visible irritation this week after a torrent of criticism for playing in a poker tournament while Santos travelled to Venezuela for a Copa Sudamericana tie. 'I trained in the morning, didn't travel to the match, came back to training. It was my day off. Mind your own business,' he said in a video filmed at the club's training centre, slapping his phone camera in frustration. The outburst followed Santos's 4-1 away victory over Universidad Central in the first leg of their last-32 playoff, a game the 34-year-old forward skipped under a pre-agreed physical plan.

The decision to rest Neymar was part of a workload management strategy adopted by manager Cuca after the forward's return from a truncated World Cup campaign and a subsequent holiday. Nursing a right calf injury, he managed only 38 minutes across two substitute appearances for Brazil in the 2026 tournament, where the Seleção crashed out to Norway in the round of 16. Days later, he announced his retirement from international football. Santos's medical staff designed an individual regimen to rebuild his fitness, and Brazilian media reported that the club considered his absence in Venezuela essential to his recovery. While the squad earned a comfortable first-leg lead, Neymar was photographed at the poker table in São Paulo, a sight that proved incendiary for a fanbase already on edge: Santos sits 15th in the Brazilian league, one point above the relegation zone.

Argentine and Spanish-language outlets across Latin America zeroed in on the striker’s defiant tone, replaying his social media broadside. 'I was here getting ready for the second training session and remembered that, on my day off, a lot of people were talking about me playing poker,' he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. 'But go on, keep talking. Can I train or are you going to criticise me for that too?' Earlier, he posted a cryptic message: 'Life is a joke. Don't take life so seriously.' The episode has deepened a sense of disenchantment among some Santos supporters, who contrast his lucrative contract—running until December 2026—with a recent injury record that has limited him to 15 appearances, six goals and persistent questions over his commitment.

Manager Cuca confirmed Neymar will be reintegrated into the squad for Saturday’s home league date with bottom club Chapecoense, a match Santos dare not lose. The return of the club’s captain, along with several other players recovered from injury, offers a fragile hope of climbing away from the danger zone. For Neymar, the transition from poker face to game face now faces the sternest test—not from online critics, but from the pitch.