Neymar endured a frustrating night as he suffered his first defeat since returning to Santos. His frustration led him to call for improvements to enhance the league’s quality and criticize the official match ball. 

Not The Ideal Homecoming

With his side falling 2-1 to arch-rivals Corinthians in a high-stakes derby, the Brazilian superstar may not have expected a tough start such as this. Neymar made an emotional comeback to his boyhood club at 33 years of age and is still regaining full-fledged fitness after an injury-plagued short spell with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal. Despite being welcomed back as a hero by the Santos faithful, the winger has yet to win a game with his boyhood club. 

Back-to-back draws against Botafogo and Novorizontino, the 33-year-old was hoping he’d help his side get a taste of victory against fierce rivals The Corinthians. The most expensive player of all time failed to make any decisive impact and saw Santos succumb to their first defeat since his return. 

“The Ball Is Really Bad,” Says Neymar

After the game, Neymar turned his frustration towards an improbable target, the official match ball. Speaking to TV Record, he criticized the quality of the ball used in the Brazilian League, echoing concerns raised by other people. The former Barcelona man said:

“From the outset, with all due respect to the penalty that sponsors the ball, I think they need to improve this ball a little bit more. The other day [Flamengo coach] Filipe Luis said it, and I agree. This ball is really bad and needs to be improved a little bit more to help our championship too.” 

Neymar isn’t alone in his criticism of the match ball. As the 33-year-old stated, Filipe Luis, the coach of Flamengo, recently voiced similar concerns, saying that its inconsistent movement makes it challenging for players to make passes and effective shots. 

End Of My Neymar Rant

Despite the disappointing loss to Corinthians, Neymar remains optimistic about Santos’s direction, indicating that even when losing, the team showed encouraging signs. The 33-year-old will have another chance to chase his first victory with Santos when they host Agua Santa on Sunday. For more fearless sports coverage, visit Stadium Rant.

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