Neymar poker criticism boiled over this week after the Santos striker recorded a video hitting back at fans and pundits who slammed him for playing the BSOP Winter Invitational, a tournament carrying a R$25,000 buy-in, around the time of a Santos match. According to SuperPoker, the 34-year-old forward said the entire session took place during a club-sanctioned day off, not while he was skipping football duties.
The Neymar Poker Criticism Explained
The controversy started when Santos faced Universidad Central in the Copa Sul-Americana. Neymar was not on the field for that match, and social media quickly connected the absence to reports that he had been spotted at the poker tables. Sports commentators piled on, questioning whether a professional athlete recovering from injury setbacks should be spending free time at a high buy-in poker festival instead of resting or training.
Neymar addressed the noise directly in a video posted to his social channels, explaining the timeline of his day before pushing back on the criticism entirely.
What Neymar Actually Said
Speaking to the camera, according to SuperPoker, Neymar said he had been getting ready for a second training session when he realized how much attention his poker appearance had generated. In Portuguese, he said: “Estava aqui me preparando para o segundo treino e lembrei que na minha folga, muita gente ficou falando de eu ter jogado poker” (translated: “I was here getting ready for the second training session and I remembered that during my day off, a lot of people were talking about the fact that I played poker”).
He then laid out his schedule for the day in question. Translated from Portuguese, he explained: “I worked in the morning, I did not go to the match, I went back to training. I was on my day off. People keep talking, anyway… mind your own business.” The original quote read, “Trabalhei de manhã, não fui para o jogo, voltei para os treinos. Estava de folga. Ficam falando, enfim… Vai cuidar da sua vida.”
Inside the BSOP Winter Invitational
The BSOP Winter Invitational is one of the higher buy-in stops on the Brazilian Series of Poker calendar, and a R$25,000 entry places it well above the tour’s mainstream events. Neymar has a long relationship with BSOP, having reached a final table with the series back in 2018. He is also close with BSOP CEO Rafael Moraes and has lent his name to the “BSOP One by Neymar Jr” festival, a branded stop on the tour built around his profile as one of Brazil’s most recognizable athletes.
SuperPoker also noted that Neymar recently played in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and keeps an active online poker habit on PokerStars. Per the Hendon Mob database, his live tournament winnings currently sit at US$116,632, a modest sum by professional standards but proof that his interest in the game runs deeper than a casual hobby.
Balancing Poker and a Football Career
For elite athletes, how they spend downtime is regularly scrutinized, and Neymar is no stranger to that dynamic. His response leaned on a simple argument: the poker session happened entirely within an approved break from Santos duties, with no training or match time sacrificed. Whether critics accept that framing or not, the episode highlights how poker’s growing visibility in Brazil, fueled partly by celebrity crossover appeal, keeps intersecting with the demands of professional sports.
Readers who are new to tournament poker structures can check out Poker Pro Academy’s WSOP guide to see how major live series are built. It breaks down satellite paths and late registration windows, the same kind of structure used in big buy-in stops like the BSOP Winter Invitational.
Responsible Play and Perspective
It is worth remembering that poker, even at a celebrity-adjacent level, involves real financial risk. Tournaments like the BSOP Winter Invitational carry substantial buy-ins, and players of any profile should treat the game as entertainment with clear limits rather than a guaranteed income stream. Poker remains an 18-plus activity, and responsible bankroll management applies to every player at the table, famous or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Neymar criticized for playing poker?
Because his appearance at the BSOP Winter Invitational coincided with a Santos match he did not play in, prompting speculation that he prioritized poker over football duties.
Did Neymar miss training or a match to play poker?
According to his own account, reported by SuperPoker, the poker session happened during an authorized day off, and he returned to training afterward.
What is the BSOP Winter Invitational buy-in?
The event carries a R$25,000 buy-in, making it one of the pricier stops on the Brazilian Series of Poker calendar.
