Brazilian Neymar da Silva has sparked controversy once again, after returning from participating with the Seleção in the 2026 World Cup.

The Brazilian national team left the 2026 World Cup early, specifically in the Round of 16, after losing to Norway (2-1).

Just a few days after his early exit, Neymar surprised everyone by appearing in Las Vegas to participate in a poker tournament.

The presence of the Brazilian captain at this event sparked widespread reactions on social media, where some saw it as a stark contradiction to the disappointment after Brazil's elimination from the tournament.

The situation recurred again, but this time he took advantage of not traveling to Venezuela with his club Santos to face the Central University team in the first round of the Sudamericana qualifiers, after the coaching staff rested him. According to Brazilian network Globo, he attended the fourth stage of the Brazilian Poker Championship with his friends.

Meanwhile, Brazilian network ESPN reported that in 2025, Neymar won 53,500 Brazilian reais during his participation in the poker tournament. This stage continues until July 30, and Neymar is expected to participate again in the coming days.