Neymar faces six-match suspension for breaking 'Vinicius Junior rule'

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Martin Macdonald | Writer

Neymar faces a six-match ban after covering his mouth during an encounter with an opponent over the weekend.

During Santos's 1-1 draw with Bahia on Sunday, the Brazilian was sent off midway through the game after an altercation with midfielder Rodrigo Nestor.

The pair got close to each other and Neymar covered his mouth while speaking. Nestor claimed afterwards that what Neymar said to him was "highly disrespectful -- both toward me and toward the Bahia jersey."

After being sent off by the referee, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star attempted to confront Nestor again and had to be restrained by team-mates as a melee ensued.

He admitted he was wrong to cover his mouth but denied saying anything abusive.

Neymar é expulso por falar com Rodrigo Nestor com a mão na boca.

#futebol #santos #bahia #brasileirao #Neymar https://t.co/9N1vRN3nNm

— ge (@geglobo) October 25, 2026

Neymar accused Nestor of doing "one of the dirtiest tricks in football."

The 'Vinícius Junior rule' (unofficial title) was introduced following an incident in February of 2026 involving Vinícius Junior of Real Madrid and Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni. Vinicius accused Prestianni of racially abusing him while covering his mouth. Prestianni denied the racial abuse allegation, and the incident prompted football authorities to take action.

The rule was implemented ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said before the tournament commenced.

"There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn't have said, otherwise he wouldn't have had to cover his mouth.

"There are situations which we did not foresee. Of course, when you deal with a disciplinary case, you have to analyse the situation, you have to have evidence, but we cannot just be satisfied with that going forward.

"I simply do not understand if you don't have something to hide, you don't hide your mouth when you say something. That's it, as simple as that.

"And these are actions that we can take and we have to take in order to be serious about our fight against racism."

Miguel Almiron of Paraguay and Piero Hincapie of Colombia both saw red at the World Cup for covering their mouths while speaking to an opponent.