Soccer superstar Neymar recently enjoyed a day off from the pitch with a major online poker binge, according to reports.
The 34-year-old Brazilian attacking midfielder has been known to hit the poker table through the years and even served as a PokerStars ambassador. He is currently playing for Santos FC in Brazil’s top-flight Série A league and was recently given the day off from a match against Cruzeiro for “workload management.”
What did the soccer star do with some time off? He spent 24 hours playing high-stakes online poker. Some have speculated that Neymar may not be fully committed to the club and Santos reported that he isn’t currently injured.
“Behind the scenes, the episode raises questions about the athlete’s true priorities,” Portal LeoDias reported. “Even with the official justification of physical preservation, the expectation was that Neymar would at least accompany the delegation or be close to the squad.”
Weekend Of Poker
Portal LeoDias added that the former FC Barcelona star spent 24 hours playing online from Friday through Sunday. While Neymar was gambling, Santos recorded a 0-0 draw against Cruzeiro.
Neymar reportedly played in a $5,000 online tournament. He re-entered at least three times, bringing his total buy-in to at least $20,000. He took criticism of his poker play in stride in a post on X/Twitter.
“Today the day started with training and then a trip to the cinema with them,” he noted, referring to his family. “Oh, there was also a little bit of poker on the cell phone.” He added a laughing emoji at the end of the post.
Hoje o dia começou com treino e depois um cineminha com elas♥️
Ah, Pokerzinho no celular teve tbm 😂😉 pic.twitter.com/o1shl4mf41— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) March 23, 2026
Does Neymar Prefer Poker To The Pitch?
Criticism of his regular play on the felt is nothing new. In 2024, French soccer legend Emmanuel Petit said that poker has affected Neymar’s efforts on the pitch.
“I’m a huge fan of Neymar as a player when he used to love football,” Petit told Essentially Sports. “This guy, even while he was playing for Paris Saint-Germain the last two years, his mind was not a 100% committed to football. He was more committed to poker.”
Despite that, he remains a sought-after soccer talent.
Reports surfaced last year that professional boxer Chris Eubank Jr. allegedly owed Neymar $5 million in poker debts.
Neymar isn’t the only soccer star with an interest in poker. In February, English soccer star Dele Alli reportedly accumulated six-figure losses at late-night poker sessions at London’s Victoria Casino.
