Neymar issues public apology after slapping teammate

Neymar has owned up to his mistake by releasing a public apology after an altercation in which he slapped a teammate in the face.

The 34‑year‑old accepted that he lost his temper when the younger player managed to dribble past him in practice, but he insisted that the incident was quickly resolved inside the squad environment.

Neymar revealed that he had already apologised to the player and his family privately, and then again in front of the whole dressing room, where both men spoke openly and cleared the matter among themselves.

The Brazilian club Santos confirmed that the internal investigation they opened into the incident is now “resolved,” and both players have since been seen on good terms.

The teammate Neymar apologised to is Robinho Júnior, the 18‑year‑old winger and son of former Brazil international Robinho, who told reporters that Neymar did deliver “a forceful slap to the face” after being outmanoeuvred in a drill, as reported by The BBC.

Robinho Jr. explained that the moment upset him, because Neymar has long been his idol, but he added that the veteran attacker apologised on the spot, repeated it several times, and that the matter is now behind them.

The teenager also dismissed suggestions that his stance was linked to a desire to leave Santos, instead framing it as a simple but serious disagreement that was ultimately settled.

For Neymar, the public apology is also a chance to limit the fallout from a lapses‑of‑temper narrative that could affect his image and his chances of returning to the Brazil national team for the World Cup, even as he continues recovery from his ACL injury.

The episode has nonetheless drawn global attention, with commentators questioning how far the line between on‑pitch combativeness and off‑pitch discipline should be drawn at the top level.