Neymar, sent off for a “Hand of God” in the style of Maradona in a possible last match with Santos

Neymar: From admiration to expulsion, a bittersweet day

Neymar, after his return to Santos, has been involved in an episode that mixes admiration for Diego Maradona and an incident that emulates the famous “Hand of God”, but with negative consequences.

The Brazilian star, who has expressed the influence of Maradona on his career, was involved in a controversial situation during the match against Botafogo.

With the score tied at zero and fifteen minutes to go, Neymar tried to score a goal with his hand, similar to Maradona’s iconic goal.

The Botafogo players’ reaction was immediate, and the referee did not hesitate to show him the second yellow card, which meant his expulsion.

To make matters worse, Botafogo scored a goal in the final minutes, securing a 1-0 victory.

Subsequently, Neymar expressed his apologies through social media:

“I made a mistake, I apologize! 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!”

Neymar

This incident could mark the end of his current stage at Santos, as his contract ends on June 30.

The red card leaves him out of the next match against Fortaleza, and he could only play again if he extends his contract before the league resumes in July, after the Club World Cup.

Santos is in 18th position in the table, having lost seven of their eleven matches played.