Neymar Gave His Jersey to an 8-Year-Old Fan — the Crowd Turned on Him, Police Had to Evacuate the Child

A scandal erupted at the Neo Química Arena in São Paulo after the Santos–Corinthians derby: Santos star Neymar gave his jersey to an eight-year-old boy among the rival team's supporters, and the child and his family were subjected to abuse from furious fans and had to leave the stands under police escort.

The match ended in a 1:0 win for Santos — the only goal, scored in the first half by Cristian Oliva, came after he finished off the rebound from Neymar's free kick, which had struck the post. After the final whistle, the Brazilian star spotted a young Corinthians fan in the stands holding a sign: the boy said he supported his own team but was also a huge admirer of Neymar himself. The player walked over to the child and gave him his jersey — the boy burst into tears of joy.

The crowd turned on the child's family

When the parents held up the jersey to show those around them, the situation quickly escalated. According to a journalist who was at the scene, insults and threats began raining down from the stands on the child and his family — including his parents and grandmother.

At first, other Corinthians fans tried to help the family, but within minutes military police and stadium security arrived. They separated the family from the most aggressive fans and led them down onto the pitch. Before descending, the boy's mother handed the gifted jersey to a police officer, and the father was told to stash it in a backpack — but even that failed to calm things down: the insults continued, and objects were thrown at the family as they made their way out.

"Don't look up," police told the parents, hoping to keep the eight-year-old from hearing what was being shouted at him from the stands. Together with security, the family was escorted to the stadium's internal facilities and then to a police station on the arena grounds. From there, they were driven away in a separate vehicle to avoid another run-in with aggressive fans near the exit.

Neymar and the club respond

Right after the match, in the mixed zone, Neymar explained why he had given away the jersey: "The sign said: I'm a huge Corinthians fan, but I'm your fan too. I promised him a jersey, and in the end I gave it to him." At that point, he hadn't yet learned about the trouble unfolding in the stands.

Once he found out what had happened, the footballer took to Instagram that night: "This can never be a reason for conflict. It's a child. What father or mother wouldn't grant their child's wish?"

Corinthians' management also issued a sharp statement: "Passion for the club, rivalry, and the emotions of football should never take precedence over respect, upbringing, and safety." The club stressed that aggression toward a child crosses an unacceptable line.

Gaviões da Fiel, Corinthians' largest organized fan group, also weighed in. "We are categorically opposed to any form of intimidation, humiliation, or violence, especially when it involves children," the group said in a statement. The organization reached out to the boy's family and said it would welcome him at its headquarters, stressing that nothing could ever justify attacks or threats against a child.

Source: sport.cz