Neymar has apologised to Santos teammate Robinho Jr following an incident in which he slapped the 18-year-old during a training session at the Rei Pelé Training Centre. The altercation occurred on Sunday after Robinho Jr dribbled past the 34-year-old forward, prompting Neymar to deliver what was described as a "violent slap to the face." Santos launched an internal investigation into the matter, but confirmed on Tuesday that the issue had been resolved.
Neymar admitted he overreacted, saying, "I did overreact, yes, in the way I reacted. It could have been different, but I ended up losing my head." He added, "Everyone makes mistakes. It was my mistake, his mistake — I made a slightly bigger mistake." The Brazil international, the nation's all-time top scorer with 79 goals, expressed affection for the teenager, calling him "a boy I like very much, for whom I have a special affection."
Robinho Jr, son of former Brazil player Robinho, said Neymar apologised immediately after the confrontation. "It was a situation that upset me because Neymar has been my idol since I was a child," he said. "He realised straight away that he'd gone too far and apologised several times." The young forward added that media reports had exaggerated the incident. Neymar later embraced Robinho Jr on the bench after scoring in Santos' 1-1 draw with Recoleta in the Copa Sudamericana, in a public gesture of reconciliation.
Neymar demands public apology culture while being the one needing to apologise. He calls the slap a mistake yet frames it as mutual, blurring accountability for younger players watching. Robinho Jr's idolisation makes the power imbalance clear — growth means Neymar leads with restraint, not force. A public embrace fixes optics, but not the message it sends to aspiring talents at Santos.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
