Brazil: Neymar ignites controversy with Thiago Mendes

Since Sunday night, tensions have been running high between Thiago Mendes and Neymar.

In fact, even before kick-off in the Vasco da Gama-Santos clash, the two captains pointedly avoided greeting each other during the pre-match protocol. It was Thiago Mendes who refused to shake Neymar's hand before the match began, not the other way around. On the pitch, however, Santos asserted their dominance with a resounding 3-0 victory. This crucial win lifts the club out of the relegation zone and up to 14th place in the Brazilian championship.

Sunday’s latest episode is the continuation of a feud that has never truly died down. Thiago Mendes injured Neymar during a PSG-OL match back in December 2020, and the two clashed again in a heated altercation last February in a previous Santos-Vasco encounter.

Following that incident, Neymar launched a scathing attack on his opponent, even calling him an “imbecile.” Hours after the latest handshake snub, the Brazilian reignited the controversy on social media with a cryptic message: “Pride comes before the fall.”

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Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

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