Neymar allegedly spent 'nearly 24 hours playing high-stakes online poker' after being ruled out of Santos' latest game due to 'workload management'

Santos' recent 0-0 draw with Cruzeiro was notable for the absence of their marquee star. While the club officially listed the 34-year-old as out due to "load management" - a protocol designed to monitor training intensity and prevent injury - reports from LeoDias suggest a different story. It is alleged that the forward spent approximately 24 hours participating in an online poker tournament that ran from Friday through Sunday. With buy-ins exceeding $5,000, Neymar reportedly made at least four re-entries on Saturday alone, totalling over $20,000 in fees just to remain in the game.

Neymar's affinity for poker is well-documented and dates back over a decade. Since 2014, he has transitioned from a casual player to a prominent figure in the gambling world, even naming his dog 'Poker' and serving as a high-profile brand ambassador for major platforms. Despite his enthusiasm, the hobby has intersected with his professional life in controversial ways. In March 2023, while recovering from an ankle injury at PSG, he famously lost €1m in just two hours during a live stream. More recently, in 2024, he faced criticism for playing online poker on his phone during a party for his daughter Mavie.

The Santos star has confirmed that he did play in the poker tournament over the weekend, telling LeoDias: "Unfortunately, these past few days, due to load management, I haven't been able to play, so I've had this time to do what I enjoy most, which is playing a little poker, besides football."

The timing of this latest incident is particularly sensitive as Carlo Ancelotti prepares the Brazil national team for friendlies and the 2026 World Cup. Neymar was notably absent from the latest squad, yet several legendary figures have jumped to his defence, including Romario.

The 1994 World Cup hero has also urged Ancelotti to reconsider, saying: "Pay attention, sir. A star player has to play. The Brazilian national team is for the best. World Cup preparation lasts a month, enough time for an athlete to recover. It's better to have a star player like Neymar, even if he's not at 100%, than to call up someone else. Talent shouldn't be wasted. And a coach can never do without it. I still hope to see Neymar prove in the Brazilian Championship that he deserves to be on the national team and bring home the sixth title."

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