Neymar tells Atletico Mineiro fan he is ‘better than everyone’ despite injury

Neymar grabbed the headlines without playing a single minute as Santos beat Atletico Mineiro 2-0 in the Copa Sudamericana.

The 33-year-old watched the match from the stands after suffering a fresh injury, but a brief exchange with an Atletico Mineiro supporter quickly became the main talking point in Brazil, with video of the incident spreading across social media.

Brazilian media reports said the fan attempted to provoke Neymar during the game. The Santos forward responded by pointing towards his knee before delivering a remark that has since attracted widespread attention.

Neymar was heard telling the supporter: “Me without a knee is still better than everyone on your team!”

The comment divided opinion among fans. Some viewed it as a natural response from a player being taunted, while others criticised it as disrespectful towards Santos’ opponents.

Neymar was unavailable for the match because of a new injury to his right thigh, sustained during Santos’ game against Palmeiras. Medical tests showed a partial grade-two tear to the rectus muscle at the point where it joins the tendon.

The injury is expected to keep him out of the second leg against Atletico Mineiro on 16 September. His recovery period is estimated at between four and eight weeks.

Despite being unable to play, Neymar remained an animated presence in the stands, celebrating both of Santos’ goals as his influence continued to extend beyond the pitch.