Neymar, Robinho Jr. altercation: How alleged slap of Santos teammate sparked pre-World Cup transfer speculation originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Representatives of young striker Robinho Jr. have reportedly sent an extrajudicial notification to Santos on Monday, requestion action by the club after a physical altercation with Neymar during training at the club’s Rei Pele Training Center.
Initially reported by Brazilian publication GE.com, Robinho’s attache have apparently sent the club a court document initiating contract termination negotiations following the incident due to “lack of minimum safety conditions” at the club.
In the document obtained by the news outlet, Robinho Jr — the son of former Real Madrid and Manchester City star Robinho — makes three accusations against Neymar.
According to Robinho Jr.’s account, the incident occurred after Robinho Jr. nutmegged Neymar during Santos training. The Brazil star allegedly directed verbal abuse towards Robinho Jr., tripped him, and then slapped him hard in the face.
In the document, the 18-year-old requested four actions from Santos: the opening of an internal investigation to ascertain the facts, the provision of training footage, an official statement from the club regarding the measures taken, and the scheduling of a meeting to discuss a possible contract termination.
MORE:An overview of Neymar’s contract and salary at Santos
Could Neymar leave Santos?
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, there was speculation that the fallout from this scandal could result in Neymar’s departure from his boyhood club.
However, according to a report by ESPN Brazil, there is likely to be an amicable resolution to the situation. The report states that after Neymar reached out to Robinho Jr. to make amends and sent a message to his family, “it is only a matter of time before they both put the incident behind them.”
The two Santos players reportedly maintain a close relationship on a daily basis, with Neymar often described as a “godfather” to his young teammate.
Neymar’s current contract at Santos runs through December 31 of this year, with the Brazilian club season currently on a calendar year schedule.
Will Neymar go to the 2026 World Cup with Brazil?
There remains enormous speculation regarding Neymar’s immediate future with the Brazil national team as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches.
With the tournament set to begin in just over a month, and Carlo Ancelotti set to name his squad in just a few weeks, it’s unclear whether Neymar will be part of the team to contest the competition.
Brazil have seen multiple injuries batter the squad, as the likes of Rodrygo and Eder Militao will definitely miss out and young Estevao facing a race against time to pass fit.
Still, it’s an uphill battle for Neymar, who at 34 years old must prove to Ancelotti that his long history of injuries is beyond him, and he can be counted on for regular minutes throughout a grueling, month-long summer tournament in North America.