Neymar Criticised for Sexist Comment After Santos Match with Remo
Neymar Jr. has found himself at the centre of a fierce backlash following Santos’ recent 2-0 victory over Remo in the Campeonato Brasileiro. What should have been a celebration of his standout performance quickly turned sour when the forward made a highly controversial and sexist post-match comment about the match referee.
Although Neymar was instrumental in ending Santos’ month-long winless streak by providing a brilliant assist and dictating the tempo of the game, tensions boiled over in the closing stages. The Brazilian reacted angrily to a heavy tackle from Remo’s Diego Hernandez in the 85th minute, leading to an on-pitch confrontation.
Referee Savio Pereira Sampaio subsequently booked both players. Crucially, this yellow card was Neymar’s third of the season and automatically rules him out of Santos’ highly anticipated upcoming fixture against Flamengo at the Maracana.
During a post-match interview with SportTV, Neymar voiced immense frustration with Sampaio. He accused the official of wanting to be the star of the show and showing a blatant lack of respect for the players. The situation escalated dramatically when the forward used the Brazilian slang expression «acordou de chico» — a phrase that refers to a woman being on her period.
The backlash
By suggesting the male referee was menstruating to explain his officiating decisions, the 34-year-old sparked immediate outrage across social media and the global press. Critics have widely condemned the outdated and misogynistic nature of the remark, which entirely overshadowed his Player of the Match display.
This incident adds another turbulent chapter to his career and could have severe repercussions both on and off the pitch. Brazilian sports media indicates that he could face a lengthy ban from the Superior Court of Sports Justice for discriminatory conduct.
Furthermore, Santos manager Cuca publicly criticised his star forward for losing his head and picking up a completely avoidable booking. Currently attempting to resurrect his international career after returning to Brazil from Al Hilal, Neymar is fighting to impress national team manager Carlo Ancelotti. A potential suspension and a renewed focus on his off-pitch behaviour could severely jeopardise his chances of securing a spot in the upcoming World Cup squad.
