Neymar FUMES as Man Utd flop sparks BIZARRE rule change

Tom Weber

Updated: 7 Apr 2025 12:47 CDT
4 min read

Neymar has expressed his disappointment with football becoming increasingly 'boring' after the Brazilian federation implemented a bizarre rule change following a mass brawl sparked by Memphis Depay.

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To say that Brazilian football is crazy would not be an exaggeration. For example, last year, Real Madrid legend Marcelo had his contract at Fluminense brutally terminated for the crime of shaking his head while receiving tactical instructions from his coach.

While Marcelo's departure did not leave a lasting mark, a more recent incident has certainly caused much more of a ripple. Two weeks ago, Corinthians hosted Palmeiras in the second leg of the Paulista final.

The match ultimately finished 0-0 as Corinthians were under no pressure to score, having won the first leg 1-0. More exciting than the game itself was an incident caused by former Man Utd and Barcelona player Memphis Depay.

Late in the game, with Corinthians trying to run down the clock, Depay received a pass near the corner flag. Before trying to shield the ball, Depay decided to stand on it with both feet in an act of showboating. Naturally, this didn't go down well with the Palmeiras players, and a huge brawl ensued.

Brazilian FA introduces 'Mepmhis Rule'

The Brazilian FA, the CBF, have now decided to take action. In a bizarre move, the CBF have announced that they are clamping down on players balancing on the ball, arguing that it is an unnecessary provocation and also endangers the safety of the player.

"With our best regards, we would like to take this opportunity to address a prominent issue in Brazilian and South American football that, in theory, has a negative impact on our sport," a letter sent to club presidents began.

"This is caused by a specific behaviour that has caused disruption to the game environment, producing widespread confrontations, and greatly damaging the image of the sport, which has a broad national and international reach.

"This involves a player stepping on the ball with both feet, with the intention of provoking the opposing team. This fact, in addition to the risk of injury to the player himself, generates widespread disruptions in the matches."

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— ⚽🎥 (@FPapobolei39909) March 28, 2025

The CBF has instructed referees to dish out yellow cards and award the opposing team a free kick if a player is found guilty of stepping on the ball. This has now prompted an angry response from Memphis and even Neymar.

"So I really went to Brazil to also experience Joga Bonito first hand but now the CBF announced yesterday that no player can stand on the ball or the player will receive a yellow card," Depay wrote on X. "It was decided after I did balance on the ball for a couple seconds in the last finale of the Paulista cup.

"Not that it is such an important factor in football, but I don’t see the issue here. Brazilian football is elevating and deserves global visibility! There is so much talent over here. The joy and passion in the way of expressing ourselves on the field shouldn’t be limited.

"So I really wonder what the board of the CBF looks like. Who’s deciding the future of this beautiful football country? Let’s focus on what rules can improve the sport and focus on the business side of football, what benefits the clubs, the fans and players instead of these silly announcements."

Neymar later chimed in, too, writing curtly on Instagram: “Football is getting more and more boring. Too much complaining."