Neymar found himself at the centre of a heated controversy on Saturday after Santos confirmed their forward had been incorrectly substituted during a 3-0 defeat to Coritiba — just one day before Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti is set to announce his squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The incident unfolded in the 65th minute when the fourth official held up the number 10 board while Neymar was temporarily off the pitch receiving treatment on a calf injury. Gonzalo Escobar was apparently the player intended to make way, but the substitution slip was misread and Robinho Jr came on in Neymar's place instead.

Yellow card and the snatched slip

Neymar's attempt to return to the field after realising the error earned him a yellow card. He then took matters into his own hands — literally — snatching the substitution slip from the officials and holding it up to a television camera to demonstrate that Escobar's number, not his, was written on the note. He ultimately left the pitch and passed the captain's armband to Escobar.

Santos wasted no time making their position clear on social media.

"The fourth official got the substitution wrong. This was confirmed by the television coverage and by the note used by the officials during the substitution. An inexplicable error that was not corrected."

The timing could hardly be worse. With Ancelotti due to name his World Cup squad imminently, Neymar had been eager to make an impression. Brazil's all-time leading scorer, with 79 international goals to his name, the 34-year-old has not featured for his country since 2023 after a lengthy battle with injuries.

World Cup ambitions still burning

Neymar extended his contract with Santos through to the end of 2026 with a return to the national team — and a final World Cup — firmly in his sights. Brazil open their campaign against Morocco on 13 June before meeting Haiti and Scotland in the group stage of the tournament, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Whether the controversial exit from Saturday's match — and the defeat itself — affects his chances of making Ancelotti's squad remains to be seen.