Shola Akinyele
Neymar was left fuming after an extraordinary refereeing blunder saw him mistakenly substituted during Santos‘ 3-0 home defeat to Coritiba in one of the most bizarre incidents of the Brazilian Serie A season.
The dramatic moment unfolded in the 65th minute on Sunday at Santos’ Vila Belmiro stadium, with the home side already trailing heavily. Neymar had temporarily stepped off the pitch to receive medical treatment when Santos prepared to make a substitution.
In a stunning administrative mix-up, the fourth official displayed Neymar’s iconic No. 10 on the electronic substitution board instead of the intended player’s number. Reports indicate that defender Gonzalo Escobar was the actual player due to be replaced by young forward Robinho Jr.
As soon as Robinho Jr. entered the pitch, the substitution became official under football regulations, preventing Neymar from returning to the match despite not being the player listed for withdrawal.
The Brazilian superstar was visibly outraged when he realized what had happened. Cameras captured Neymar grabbing the official substitution sheet and waving it angrily toward match officials and television cameras in an attempt to prove he was never meant to be taken off.
Despite his protests, the decision stood, and Neymar was shown a yellow card for dissent.
The incident quickly exploded across social media, with fans describing the blunder as “insane” and “one of the craziest officiating mistakes in football this year.”
The bizarre substitution compounded a miserable afternoon for Santos, who were thoroughly beaten 3-0 by Coritiba.
The result adds further frustration to Neymar’s emotional return to his boyhood club, where he has been working to regain top form and fitness ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 34-year-old is hoping to secure a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the tournament.
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