"In the heat of the moment, it's hard to control your emotions when unjustly insulted," Neymar wrote on Instagram on 25/7. "I'll never argue with fans who criticize my play. They have the right to voice their opinions, even boo me, but they can't insult me like that man did. He called me a mercenary for my father, spoke about my family and friends. I apologize, but it was difficult to restrain myself."

Neymar (right) argues with a fan after Santos' 1-2 loss to Internacional on 24/7. Photo: Globo

Neymar (right) argues with a fan after Santos' 1-2 loss to Internacional on 24/7. Photo: Globo

On 24/7, Santos lost 1-2 to Internacional at home. In the 94th minute, Neymar's volley was blocked by the goalkeeper's hand, hit the post, and rolled along the goal line. Thinking he had scored the equalizer, the 33-year-old celebrated while the goalkeeper held onto the ball. Realizing his mistake, a stunned Neymar raised his hands in disbelief.

After the match, Neymar confronted a male fan, leaving only after teammates intervened.

"I came to Santos to help the club in any way I can, both on and off the field," Neymar added. "The day the fans think I can no longer contribute, or that I'm harming the club in any way, I'll be the first to pack my bags and leave."

After 15 matches in the 2025 Brazilian Championship, Santos sits 17th out of 20 teams. The bottom four teams after 38 rounds will be relegated.

Neymar returned to Santos, where he began his career from 2009-2013, in 2/2025. He had been sidelined for over a year at Al Hilal due to a torn knee ligament. He has scored four goals in 15 matches over the past five months. However, injuries, suspensions for handling the ball and contracting Covid-19 have hampered his return to form.

At his peak, Neymar scored 105 goals in 186 matches for Barca and 118 goals in 173 matches for PSG. He also holds the record for most goals scored for the Brazil national team, with 79.

Thanh Quy (via Instagram)