Neymar sent off for 'Hand of God' Maradona goal

Neymar has spoken astir the interaction Diego Maradona had connected his vocation aft gathering him arsenic a kid but his bid to emulate the precocious Argentine great's "Hand of God" extremity backfired connected Sunday erstwhile helium was sent disconnected successful what could beryllium his past crippled for Santos.

With Santos and Botafogo locked astatine 0-0 heading into the past 15 minutes of their Brazilian league game, Neymar launched himself astatine a rebound successful the punishment country and steered the shot into the nett with his hand.

The Brazilian was rapidly surrounded by furious Botafogo players earlier the referee flashed a 2nd yellowish paper astatine the forward, cutting abbreviated his archetypal commencement for the nine since helium made his instrumentality from wounded past month.

Rubbing brackish into the wound, Botafogo scored with 4 minutes near to unafraid a 1-0 victory.

The 33-year-old erstwhile Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker aboriginal apologised to his squad and fans.

"I made a mistake, forgive me!" helium posted connected societal media.

"Today, if I hadn't been sent off, I'm definite we would person gotten the 3 points. You tin number these 3 points against me!"

Neymar had returned to his boyhood nine Santos successful January aft a stint astatine Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal, with his declaration astatine the Brazilian broadside moving until June 30.

The reddish paper rules him retired of Santos's lucifer against Fortaleza connected Thursday, meaning helium volition lone beryllium capable to play for the nine again if helium extends his declaration earlier the league's resumption successful July pursuing the Club World Cup.

Santos are 18th successful the league having mislaid 7 of their 11 matches.