Santos FC forward Neymar has apologised after admitting he “crossed the line” by slapping teenage team-mate Robinho Jr during a training session at Santos FC.
The incident reportedly took place on Sunday at the club’s training facility, after the 18-year-old forward dribbled past Neymar, prompting an angry reaction from the 34-year-old.
As reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday, Robinho Jr accused Neymar of delivering a “violent slap to the face,” leading the club to open an internal investigation.
By Tuesday, Santos confirmed the matter had been resolved, describing the situation as “all sorted” following discussions between the players.
Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer, publicly accepted responsibility for his actions and did not attempt to downplay the moment.
He said, “If you want an apology in front of the media, here it is.
“I did overreact in the way I reacted. It could have been different, but I ended up losing my head.
Everyone makes mistakes. It was my mistake, his mistake, but I made the bigger mistake.
Despite the altercation, Neymar spoke warmly about his younger team-mate, describing Robinho Jr as someone he has “a special affection” for.
He added that disagreements are part of football, comparing the incident to arguments between friends or brothers.
Robinho Jr, the son of former Brazil international Robinho, said Neymar apologised immediately after the incident and repeated that apology several times.
“It was a situation that upset me because he has been my idol since I was a child.
“But he realised straight away that he had gone too far.
“We’ve already talked about it. I’m fine, I like him a lot, and it’s all sorted,” the teenager said.
The pair appeared to have put the incident behind them during Tuesday’s match, when Neymar celebrated his goal in a 1-1 draw by embracing Robinho Jr on the touchline.
Santos will now look to move on quickly, with both players expected to remain part of the squad without further disciplinary action.
