(AsiaGameHub) – Neymar has returned to the headlines, though not for his on-field performance. The Santos striker allegedly devoted his rest day to an extended online poker marathon following his omission from the Cruzeiro fixture due to workload concerns.
Good to Know
- Neymar’s absence from the Cruzeiro clash stemmed from Santos’ assessment that the workload-related risk was excessive.
- According to Portal LeoDias, the forward subsequently dedicated much of his weekend to online poker.
- On social media, Neymar later made light of the situation, commenting that there was “also a little bit of poker on the cell phone.”
Neymar Day Off Turns Into Poker Story
The sporting aspect of this narrative is fairly straightforward. Santos opted not to field Neymar against Cruzeiro, with the club’s justification focusing on physical load management over a new injury. Match-related reports indicated the coaching team aimed to prevent additional risk following a demanding schedule of fixtures.
The subsequent developments attracted considerably more interest. Portal LeoDias claimed Neymar engaged in online poker for approximately 24 hours between Friday and Sunday. The same publication stated he entered a $5,000 tournament and rebought on at least three occasions, pushing his total buy-in to a minimum of $20,000. During this period, Santos contested a goalless draw with Cruzeiro.
That article swiftly fueled broader discussions surrounding Neymar’s relationship with Santos. Portal LeoDias suggested the incident prompted doubts regarding his dedication to the team, particularly since some had anticipated he would stay in closer proximity to his teammates despite being rested.
Neymar didn’t precisely refute the poker claims. In a social media post cited by Brazilian outlets, he mentioned that his day commenced with training and a family cinema outing, before noting there was “also a little bit of poker on the cell phone,” concluding with a laughing emoji.
For poker enthusiasts, this revelation comes as no surprise. Neymar has maintained a longstanding connection to the game, having formerly served as a PokerStars ambassador. Nevertheless, the timing transformed an ordinary rest day into yet another discussion point concerning one of Brazilian football’s most prominent figures.
His passion for poker has previously generated controversy. In 2023, rather than joining his Paris SG teammates in celebrating their Ligue 1 triumph, Neymar chose to devote the entire evening to poker in Monaco.
This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content.
AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.