'I didn't mean to offend women' - Neymar addresses controversial referee criticism after Santos star's angry reaction to yellow card

Neymar has spoken out for the first time since sparking a sexism row during Santos' 2-0 win over Remo earlier this month. The forward found himself in hot water after questioning the temperament of the match official in a way that many deemed offensive to women.

The incident occurred in the 85th minute of the clash at the Vila Belmiro. After receiving a heavy challenge, Neymar’s protests led to a booking that triggers an automatic suspension, ruling the forward out of a massive encounter against Flamengo at the Maracana, where Santos eventually suffered a 3-1 defeat. Immediately after the match, a frustrated Neymar slammed Sampaio’s performance, telling reporters: "It's unfair. I suffered a foul from behind at the end of the game. It wasn't the first time. It was the third or fourth. I just went to complain to him. I said, 'Are you crazy?' then got a yellow card. Anyway, Savio is like that. I think he woke up in a bad mood (chico), and came into the game like that."

In Brazilian slang, "chico" could refer to menstruation, making the comment highly offensive for its sexist implication that the referee's poor temperament was akin to a woman on her period.

In a video shared on his official YouTube channel, the 34-year-old discussed the fallout during a dinner with close friends and family. Addressing the specific phrase used, Neymar claimed: "I said it in a lighthearted way, I meant that he was annoyed and didn't want to talk much... I had no intention of offending any woman.

"The expression 'chico', I didn't know it was short for that. I should have just said he was stressed and didn't want to talk. I meant no harm at all. Things are changing a lot nowadays. These discussions are part of everyone's evolution."

The YouTube footage revealed that the controversy wasn't just a talking point for the media, but also within Neymar’s inner circle. During the meal, Bianca Coimbra, the wife of one of Neymar’s close friend, took the opportunity to explain why his words carried a misogynistic weight, saying: "Historically, women get undermined when they're going through their periode. When you say he makes a wrong decision because 'she's on her period', you're basically invalidating a woman's decisions during their menstrual cycle."

Neymar admitted that what was supposed to be a relaxed gathering turned into a deep debate about his conduct. "It was meant to be a quiet dinner, but it ended up being controversial (laughs)," he added. "Whenever media generate a controversy with my name, we discuss it, me and my friends. We have different thoughts, and that is good for each one to open their minds a little more and understand the other."

The fallout from his comment has seen Neymar face a social media firestorm, with many calling for further disciplinary action. While he has escaped an immediate ban for the remarks themselves, the league's stance on similar incidents is becoming increasingly strict. For instance, Gustavo Marques previously received a 12-match ban for sexist comments in the Brazilian top flight. For Santos, the focus remains on the pitch as they look to climb further away from the Serie A relegation zone when they face Atletico Mineiro this weekend.