Neymar apologises after costly red card in Santos defeat

Santos' hopes of climbing the Brasileiro Serie A table suffered a damaging blow on Sunday as they fell 1-0 at home to Botafogo—on a night that will be remembered more for Neymar Jr's controversial dismissal than the late winning goal.

The Brazilian superstar was sent off in the 76th minute after blatantly handling the ball into the net in a desperate attempt to equalise. Referee Davi De Oliveira Lacerda wasted no time in showing Neymar a second yellow card, followed by a red, sparking frustration among the home crowd at the Estadio Urbano Caldeira.

Just ten minutes after Neymar's exit, Botafogo's Artur Victor Guimaraes capitalised on the man advantage, netting a dramatic winner to seal the three points. The defeat marked Santos' fourth in their last five matches, piling pressure on head coach Cleber Xavier as the team struggles for consistency in a competitive league featuring stars like Memphis Depay and Vitor Roque.

Neymar's return to Santos has been anything but smooth. Since rejoining his boyhood club, the 33-year-old has featured in just 13 matches, missing 124 days due to injury and contributing only 3 goals and 3 assists. Sunday's red card added to the growing frustration surrounding his comeback.

Acknowledging his error, Neymar issued a heartfelt apology via Instagram shortly after the match.

"The desperation to score sometimes makes us make mistakes. I want to apologise to my teammates and also to the fans. I made a mistake, forgive me. Today, if I hadn't been sent off, I'm sure we would have got the 3 points. Congratulations to the team for today's game. You can put those 3 points on my back," he wrote.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon—what Neymar has said could be his last—the forward is under mounting pressure to regain form and fitness. But for now, his focus will be on repairing trust with the Santos faithful and helping his side recover from another painful setback.