Neymar Faces 10-Match Ban Over Sexist Remarks About Referee

Brazilian football icon Neymar is facing a potential 10-match suspension after making sexist comments directed at referee Savio Pereira Sampaio following Santos’ 2-0 Serie A victory over Remo. The 34-year-old, already serving a one-game ban for accumulating three yellow cards in the match, used the term “Chico” — a word derived from “chiqueiro,” historically used to associate menstruation with something filthy — while criticising the official’s performance.

What Did Neymar Say?

Speaking to Canal Premiere after the match, Neymar complained that his yellow card was unfair, claiming he had been on the receiving end of repeated dangerous tackles. He accused Sampaio of wanting to “control everything” and being disrespectful toward players. His use of the term “Chico,” however, drew immediate backlash. ESPN Brazil journalist Mariana Pereira took to social media, writing that women had long been shamed for a basic biological process, calling out the casual replication of sexist language.

World Cup Dreams Under Threat

The timing could not be worse for Neymar. Already omitted from coach Carlo Ancelotti’s latest Brazil squad for a friendly against Croatia, he desperately needed game time at Santos to stake a claim for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — likely his last. A 10-match ban would effectively sideline him for weeks, severely undermining those ambitions. Brazilian authorities have launched a formal investigation into the matter, and the precedent is concerning: defender Gustavo Marques received a 12-match ban last month for similar remarks about a female referee. Neymar will next miss Santos’ fixture against Flamengo.