Neymar investigated for alleged assault on Santos teammate Robinho Jr.

TL;DR

Neymar is under investigation for allegedly assaulting teammate Robinho Jr. during a training session at Santos. The incident reportedly stemmed from Neymar's anger over Robinho Jr.'s dribbling, leading to a physical altercation.

Key points

Neymar is being investigated for alleged assault on Robinho Jr.
The incident occurred during a training session on May 3.
Neymar reportedly slapped Robinho Jr. after an argument.
Robinho Jr. has requested a contract termination meeting with Santos.
Legal action may be pursued if Santos does not comply with the investigation.

Mentioned in this story

NeymarRobinho Jr.SantosReal MadridManchester City

Brazilian club Santos has announced that it will investigate an alleged assault by Neymar on his teammate Robinho Jr.

The incident took place on Sunday, May 3 during a training session. According to multiple reports, the 34-year-old Neymar was angered after his 18-year-old teammate dribbled past him several times, feeling it was disrespectful.

The two began to argue and according to Globo Esporte, Neymar delivered "a violent slap to [Robinho's] face."

The report went on to say that Robinho Jr. — the son of former Real Madrid and Manchester City striker Robinho — demanded a meeting with Santos to discuss terminating his contract due to "lack of minimum safety conditions" at the club.

Robinho Jr. also requested an investigation into the incident with Neymar, and threatened legal action if Santos did not comply, per the report.

Neymar has apologized to Robinho Jr. over the incident. The veteran forward is said to have been a mentor for the teenager, having also played with his father on the Brazil national team earlier in his career.

"Santos FC has become aware of an alleged physical assault committed by a player affiliated with Santos FC against another player at the club," a club statement said in Portuguese.

"Santos FC informs that, by order of the president, an internal investigation process was initiated immediately after the occurrence of the events to analyze the episode involving athletes Neymar Jr. and Robson de Souza Jr. (Robinho), during training this past Sunday (May 3rd), at the Rei Pelé Training Center."The club's legal department is responsible for conducting the investigation."

Is Neymar playing in World Cup?

Neymar is Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances, but hasn't played for the national team since suffering a torn ACL in October 2023.

The forward has had an up-and-down return to Santos, which he joined in January 2025 after a difficult spell in Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal.

Q&A

What led to Neymar's alleged assault on Robinho Jr.?

The incident occurred after Neymar became angry when Robinho Jr. dribbled past him multiple times during training, which he perceived as disrespectful.

What actions did Robinho Jr. take following the incident with Neymar?

Robinho Jr. demanded a meeting with Santos to discuss terminating his contract and requested an investigation into the incident.

What are the potential consequences for Neymar regarding this investigation?

Neymar could face disciplinary action from Santos or legal repercussions depending on the outcome of the investigation into the alleged assault.

Who is Robinho Jr. and what is his connection to the incident?

Robinho Jr. is the 18-year-old son of former professional footballer Robinho and is currently a teammate of Neymar at Santos.