Brazilian soccer star Neymar became irate during a club match Sunday after an officiating error forced him out of the contest.
The mess-up occurred in the 65th minute of what became a 3-0 loss for Santos — Neymar’s club team — to Coritiba.
Neymar had been on the sideline receiving treatment when the fourth official held up his No. 10 to signal that he was being subbed off for Robinho Jr, BBC reported.
It appeared that the club was trying to sub off Gonzalo Escobar and when Neymar attempted to get back on the pitch, he was given a yellow card.
The Brazilian was apoplectic over the incident and grabbed the substitution card from the official, holding it up to the camera in order to point out the official’s mistake.
Broadcast video showed Neymar angrily pointing at the official several times and toward the pitch.
Neymar did hand over the captain’s armband to Escobar and left the field.
Santos put out a statement on social media after the match over the situation.
“The fourth official got the substitution wrong,” the club statement said. “This was confirmed by the television coverage and by the note used by the officials during the substitution. An inexplicable error that was not corrected.”
The bizarre circumstances come a day before Brazil is set to announce its roster for the 2026 World Cup.
Neymar has not played for the Brazilian national team since 2023 due to injuries.
He is the country’s all-time leading goal scorer with 79.
Neymar had been named to Brazil’s provisional 55-man roster last week, and that will be cut down to the final 26 that will take part in this year’s tournament.
Brazil will start the World Cup when it faces Morocco on June 13 at MetLife Stadium.
Their group stage schedule also includes matches against Haiti in Philadelphia and Scotland in Miami.
The Brazilian squad will also be using Red Bull New York’s brand new training facility in Morris Township, N.J., as their base camp.