"Mind your own business": Neymar hits back at his critics!

Absent during Santos' Copa Sudamericana victory, Neymar justified his presence at a poker tournament and firmly responded to his critics.

The controversy quickly prompted a reaction from Neymar. While Santos were dispatching Universidad Central de Venezuela 4-1 in the Copa Sudamericana playoffs, the Brazilian forward was taking part in the BSOP Winter, a tournament held in São Paulo.

Images of the star sitting at a poker table quickly sparked outrage among some fans. However, Neymar was not left out due to disciplinary issues. Rested for the trip to Venezuela because of his physical condition, he had trained as usual at the club's training center before making the most of his free time.

On Instagram, the Brazilian was quick to set the record straight:

"I trained in the morning, I didn't go to the match and then I resumed training. I was on a break. Can I train or are you going to keep criticizing me? Mind your own business."

A matter of image, not discipline

From a regulatory standpoint, there appears to be no breach by the player. Still, the decision to post images from the tournament during a club match inevitably fueled debate over his commitment. The optics are more striking than the reality, especially in a climate where every move by the former Parisian is under the microscope.

See also: Germany: Jürgen Klopp takes charge of the Mannschaft! (Official)

After a tough 2026 World Cup campaign and announcing his international retirement, Neymar is now looking to regain his rhythm. This season, he has six goals and four assists in 15 appearances for Santos.

He's expected to return on Saturday against Chapecoense—an ideal opportunity to shift the conversation from poker tables back to the pitch.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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