A bizarre officiating error turned Neymar’s final World Cup audition into a nightmare. During Santos’ 3-0 loss to Coritiba, a fourth official mistakenly pulled the 34-year-old forward off the pitch instead of teammate Gonzalo Escobar.
Neymar had only stepped off for treatment on a calf injury. When he tried to return, he received a yellow card. In frustration, he grabbed the substitution slip from officials and showed it to a TV camera to prove the error. Santos confirmed the mix-up in a social media post, calling it an inexplicable mistake that was not corrected.
The timing could not be worse. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti is set to announce his World Cup squad on Monday. Ancelotti has said Neymar's inclusion depends on fitness and form, not sentiment. Neymar, Brazil's all-time top scorer with 79 goals, has not played for the national team since 2023 due to injuries and a knee surgery that sidelined him for a year. He has six goals and four assists for Santos this season.