Arabic version: نيمار يعتذر لروبنيو جونيور بعد حادثة التدريب

Neymar has publicly apologized to his Santos teammate Robinho Jr. after an incident during a training session where he slapped the 18-year-old forward. The Brazilian club launched an investigation following Robinho Jr.’s accusation that Neymar delivered a “a violent slap to the face” on Sunday after he had dribbled past the 34-year-old. According to BBC News, the situation has since been resolved, with the club stating that it was “all sorted”.

During a media interaction, Neymar acknowledged that he “crossed the line” and expressed regret for his actions. He stated, “If you want an apology in front of the media, here it is,” emphasizing that he overreacted in the moment. Neymar, who is Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer with 79 goals, reflected on the incident, saying, “It could have been different but I ended up losing my head.”

In a show of reconciliation, Neymar celebrated scoring during Santos’ 1-1 draw against Recoleta in the Copa Sudamericana by embracing Robinho Jr., the son of his former Brazil teammate, Robinho. Neymar remarked on the nature of football, saying, “Everyone makes mistakes. It was my mistake, his mistake, I made a slightly bigger mistake.”

Robinho Jr. also spoke about the incident, noting that Neymar recognized he had gone too far and apologized multiple times. He expressed that the situation was upsetting, given Neymar’s status as his idol since childhood. Robinho Jr. reassured fans that they have resolved their differences, stating, “I like him a lot. We’ve already talked and it’s all sorted.”