In the game against Morocco, Neymar came under heavy criticism

An injury prevented a player from participating

Brazilian star Neymar da Silva sparked controversy after his controversial appearance on the bench in Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco in the opening round of the 2026 World Cup.

The Brazilian star wore a hat, gold chains and eye-catching accessories, prompting a number of sports commentators to criticize his appearance, describing him as “unfit” for the official match, despite being sidelined with a muscle injury.

According to the Spanish newspaper “Sport”, the famous commentator Manolo Lama commented on Neymar’s appearance, saying: “It’s not appropriate to sit on the bench with necklaces and gold watches,” while commentator Maldini added.

As the cameras focused on the former Barcelona player ahead of kick-off, he appeared in a very different look that caught the attention of fans around the world as he took part in a pre-match huddle with American rapper Travis Scott before taking a seat on the bench in a look that sparked criticism and comments on social media platforms.

Reactions were divided between critics who saw Neymar’s appearance as inappropriate for an official World Cup match, and defenders who pointed out that the player knew in advance that he would not participate in the match due to injury, and therefore his presence on the bench was symbolic and did not require a strict official appearance obligation.

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