Yan Nigeria
Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. endured a night to forget on Sunday as his controversial attempt to replicate Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal earned him a red card potentially marking the end of his short-lived return to boyhood club Santos.
With the Brazilian Serie A clash between Santos and Botafogo finely poised at 0-0 in the final quarter-hour, Neymar launched himself at a rebound inside the box and deliberately guided the ball into the net with his hand.
The effort was immediately disallowed, and the referee wasted no time in issuing a second yellow card, sending the 33-year-old forward off in the 76th minute.
The moment sparked furious protests from Botafogo players and stunned the home crowd at the Vila Belmiro Stadium, who had been hoping for a spark of magic from their returning hero.
To compound Neymar’s misery, Botafogo struck the winning goal just four minutes from time through Artur Guimarães, sealing a 1-0 defeat that left Santos languishing in 18th place after 11 league fixtures.
Neymar, who had missed seven of those games through injury and is yet to register a goal or assist this season, took to social media after the match to apologize.
“I made a mistake, forgive me!” Neymar posted on Instagram. “Today, if I hadn’t been sent off, I’m sure we would have gotten the three points. You can count these three points against me!”
His dismissal means he will be suspended for Santos’s next match against Fortaleza on Thursday.
With his current contract set to expire on June 30 and the league going on break for the Club World Cup in July, it remains uncertain whether Neymar will play for the club again unless a new deal is agreed.
Neymar had returned to Santos in January following an injury-hit spell at Saudi side Al-Hilal, hoping to recapture form and fitness ahead of future international commitments.
His homecoming was met with great fanfare, but Sunday’s red card incident has cast a shadow over what may be a premature end to his second stint with the club.
The incident also came just days after Neymar spoke emotionally about the influence of Diego Maradona on his career, recalling their meeting during his childhood.
Ironically, his tribute on the pitch became a cautionary tale — a failed homage that drew more ridicule than reverence.
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