Santos coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda clarifies the 34-year-old is not injured as World Cup draws near
Neymar has spoken out against critics who seem to find fault in everything he does, after rumours emerged that the 34-year-old is injured and pundits questioned whether he deserved a place in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad.
The forward did not play Santos’s game against Mirassol on Tuesday, leading to the rumours that he is injured again. Neymar had surgery for a knee problem in December after helping Santos avoid relegation.
“Since many people are creating theories about what is happening to me: nothing is happening,” Neymar posted on social media. “If I play injured, as they said last year, I am wrong. If I only think about myself, I am wrong.
“If I take it easy, I am wrong. If I play with pain or something that could aggravate it, I am wrong. It’s complicated, huh? It’s very difficult to get it right, man. Very difficult, very difficult to please everyone.
“What surprises me the most, I mean, it doesn’t surprise me, it’s the people, these people who seem to be by my side every day and start making up stories, saying this, as if it were the greatest truth in the world, as if they were the owners of reason. It’s very complicated to be me, my goodness. I have to have the patience to put up with you guys, you know?”
Meanwhile, Santos coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda has cleared the air, explaining that the Brazilian is not injured but was instead rested for the midweek fixture to limit his workload.
“He has no injury or anything,” Vojvoda said. “He feels no pain. It’s true, he’s a player who has been inactive in previous years, so we have to take care of the load. He will arrive well for the game against Corinthians [on Sunday].”
Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti attended the Tuesday game but did not have an opportunity to watch Neymar. The Italian has previously said that Neymar can make the Seleção for this summer’s World Cup but that he would need to be fit.
Vojvoda said: “I want to say that [Neymar] is a very important player for the whole of Brazil. He’s preparing himself. He’s a decisive player for Santos and he’ll respond.
“When I see him train, I feel something special. There aren’t many players like him, and we have to take care of this type of player.”
