Inside the breakdown of Santos and Neymar’s relationship | OneFootball

The relationship between Santos and Neymar is going through a period of intense turbulence, according to ge.

Amid a difficult Brazilian Championship campaign (with the team battling relegation for the second consecutive year), the dissatisfaction is mutual.

ge then published behind-the-scenes information from the club, where tensions involving the No. 10, the board, and the squad are boiling over.

Check it out below!

What is Santos complaining about?

Internally, club sources report difficulties in dealing with the star on a daily basis, pointing to attitudes that bother teammates, the coaching staff, and directors. The main sources of tension include:

Lack of commitment: Neymar’s trip to a poker tournament in São Paulo, while the delegation was in Venezuela for a Copa Sudamericana match, caused major discomfort.

Problems in team relations: The player’s leadership began to be questioned after a disagreement with Robinho Júnior during a training session in May. Last weekend, the situation worsened after harsh remarks directed at the youngsters Gabriel Bontempo and João Ananias right after the draw against Chapecoense.

Indiscipline and lack of motivation: The player even left the training center without authorization. There is an internal perception that Neymar is tired of the routine of football and is considering stopping, but continues to play due to pressure from his father to fulfill commercial commitments.

What is Neymar complaining about?

On the other side, the player and his staff have also built up serious dissatisfaction with Santos’ structure and management:

Lack of protection at the training center: Neymar questions the free circulation of people unrelated to the football department in everyday activities. There is discomfort over the presence of members of the Management Council, executive Daniel Alves (accused of favoring his children in the youth academy), and “Marcelinho,” son of president Marcelo Teixeira.

Structural and technical shortcomings: The star criticizes the facilities provided and the way the squad was assembled. The player even helped financially with renovations at the training center and Vila Belmiro — which sparked rumors that he could take over a possible SAF at Santos, a possibility already denied by his father.

Delays and multimillion-dollar debts: The club’s financial problems directly affect the player, with a debt that has already surpassed R$ 90 million. Image rights payments were delayed by as much as three months this year. Last week, Santos had to use R$ 8.5 million from the sale of forward Luca Meirelles to pay off part of its debts to NR Sports, the company owned by the player’s parents.

Future of the relationship

At 34 years old and with a contract valid until the end of 2026, an extension is now considered unlikely by both sides.

The player is expected at CT Rei Pelé this Monday for the final training session before the clash against Venezuela’s Universidad Central in the Copa Sudamericana. As Santos thrashed them 4-1 in the first leg, the tendency is for Neymar to be rested for the match at Vila Belmiro.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 Ricardo Moreira - 2026 Getty Images