Vampeta shows message from Neymar in response to criticism for yellow cards
The player Neymar, Santos’ number 10, sent a message to former player Vampeta on August 31, 2026, reacting to criticism about the number of yellow cards he received during the year, made by Vampeta in a Jovem Pan broadcast.
Vampeta’s questions about the Santos striker arose after Santos’ 3-0 defeat to Palmeiras, which took place on August 26, 2026, in the Copa do Brasil.
“Neymar acts when he wants to and is absent when he doesn’t want to, decides to travel or not, and even forces cards when it suits him. Why hide this? It’s something obvious”, declared the commentator at the time.
On the same August 31, 2026, during a Jovem Pan program, Vampeta himself publicly displayed the response he received from Neymar on the subject.
Coach Cuca takes responsibility for the team’s defeat
After the confrontation against Palmeiras, coach Cuca took responsibility for Santos’ performance, admitting that the team was unable to present the expected football to compete in the game.
Cuca also addressed Neymar’s absence in the match, clarifying that the decision to rest the attacker was made exclusively by the technical committee. He added that the player himself had expressed a desire to take the field.
“Neymar’s absence has known reasons. It was a load control measure, aiming to allow him to develop his football naturally, without an intense sequence of games. Furthermore, the fact that he had two yellow cards influenced our decision. He is free from blame, as he expressed his desire to play. The responsibility for this choice lies with the technical committee”, explained Cuca.
