Santos Laguna defeated Vasco da Gama 3-0 in the 23rd round of the Brasileirão 2026, but the match took a backseat to the feud between Neymar and Thiago Mendes. The Brazilian forward lashed out at the midfielder for refusing to shake hands before the game, reigniting an old rivalry from 2020.
What happened in the match?
Neymar and Mendes, captains of their respective teams, refused to shake hands during the flag exchange. The Santos forward extended his hand during the pre-match greeting, but the Vasco player walked away. "To be honest, I don’t care much about that guy. To me, he’s a nobody," Neymar declared after the match.
Why does it matter for Santos Laguna?
The tension between the two dates back to 2020, when Mendes, then playing for Olympique de Lyon, made a hard tackle on Neymar, who was with Paris Saint-Germain. The midfielder was sent off and suspended for three games. "In 2020, he broke my ankle, which I think he did on purpose," recalled the Santos forward.
What’s next for the team?
Santos Laguna, currently 17th in Liga MX with 0 points and a four-game losing streak, aims to turn things around. Their next match will be against CF Pachuca on September 27, at home. "The most important thing is that we still won, and he can keep crying," Neymar said, referring to Mendes.
