Neymar has instructed lawyers to pursue legal action after a Brazilian journalist accused him of suffering from an “addiction to whisky and energy drinks” and keeping his team waiting with late-night gaming sessions.
The 33-year-old forward, who returned to Santos last year after leaving Al-Hilal, has endured a turbulent spell back at his boyhood club.
But the latest controversy has been met with a robust response from the player’s representatives, NR Sports, who have branded the allegations “reckless, defamatory, slanderous and false.”
The claims came from journalist Rodolfo Gomes on his YouTube channel Futeboteco. There is nothing to substantiate them.
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Gomes alleged that Neymar was routinely drinking whisky mixed with energy drinks, smoking shisha and staying up until 4am or 5am before training sessions.
He also claimed that training schedules at Santos had been shifted to accommodate Neymar and suggested that new head coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda was considering moving sessions earlier in a bid to “expose” the player’s habits.
The accusations quickly spread across Brazilian media outlets, prompting a swift legal and public response from Neymar’s camp.
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Neymar has struggled for consistency since his return to Santos
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In a statement, NR Sports confirmed: “All civil and criminal legal measures are being taken to hold those involved accountable.”
Neymar himself appeared to poke fun at the claims.
Taking to Instagram, he posted an image of an energy drink can with the caption: “ADDICTED to Red Bull. That one’s great,” accompanied by a winking emoji.
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Neymar joked he was 'addicted' to Red Bull on social media
|The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star is currently sidelined with a grade-two quadriceps tear suffered in training on September 18 and is expected to miss at least six weeks of action.
The setback is the latest in a long line of injury problems that have plagued Neymar’s career.
He previously broke his foot and tore ankle ligaments during his time at PSG, suffered a serious ACL injury while at Al-Hilal, and has already sustained three separate muscle injuries since rejoining Santos.
His homecoming has been far from smooth.
In August, Santos’ ultras angrily confronted the squad following a humiliating 6-0 defeat, with Neymar reportedly reduced to tears.
Players were told that “what’s happening on the pitch is not enough,” and ESPN Brazil reported threats of violence against the team.
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| PANeymar later addressed the fans directly, admitting: “I’m ashamed. I’m totally disappointed with our performance.
“The fans have every right to protest – obviously without using violence – but if they want to curse and insult, they are in their right.
“The tears were from anger. Unfortunately, I can’t help in every way. It was total s***, that’s the reality.”
Despite the turmoil, Neymar remains Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances.
National team manager Carlo Ancelotti recently confirmed that the forward remains in his plans for the 2026 World Cup but insisted that he must return to peak physical condition before being recalled.