Neymar hits back angrily at criticism over poker tournament appearance

Neymar has responded fiercely to the storm surrounding his recent activities. The Brazilian forward came under fire after missing a match for Santos due to fitness complaints, only to appear at a prestigious poker tournament in São Paulo later that same day.

Earlier, the club had announced that Neymar would not travel for the Copa Sudamericana fixture as he needed to prioritize his fitness following a return from injury. The images of him at the poker table sparked widespread criticism in the Brazilian media and among fans, who questioned his priorities.

«People keep talking about the fact that I play poker. I did my morning training. I did not go to the match because I had just started training again. The next day was my day off,» Neymar explained.

I also want to ask you something: am I allowed to train, or are you going to say something about that as well? Neymar

The forward insists he is fully adhering to the program agreed upon with the club and sees no issue with his visit to the tournament, which he claims took place during his time off after completing his training commitments.