Fernando Diniz Disapproves of Popcorn Incident After Brazil vs. Venezuela Match

An unfortunate incident marred the aftermath of the Brazil vs. Venezuela football match, as Neymar, the Brazilian superstar, was struck on the head by a bag of popcorn thrown from the stands. This incident has not only drawn attention to a lack of sportsmanship but has also resulted in a strong reaction from Brazil’s coach, Fernando Diniz.

The popcorn-throwing episode occurred just as Neymar was making his way down the tunnel of the Arena Pantanal stadium after the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup qualifier match, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Neymar, who had been on the field for the entire game, had to be restrained by his coach, Fernando Diniz, as he reacted vehemently, pointing and shouting at the fans seated in the section from which the object had been thrown.

Fernando Diniz, in his postmatch interview, expressed his disapproval and disappointment regarding the incident. He called it “disrespectful” and emphasized that such actions added nothing of value to the sporting event. “Cursing and booing is fine,” he stated, “but throwing a bag of popcorn doesn’t do anything for anyone. It’s disrespectful towards those who came to play and tried to do the best they could.”

Diniz’s frustration did not end with the popcorn incident. He also voiced his disappointment over Brazil’s inability to secure a victory in the match, which led to Argentina overtaking them in the standings. Argentina had defeated Paraguay 1-0 on the same day, resulting in a two-point lead over Brazil after three games in the World Cup qualifiers.

“We could have had a second , a third, a fourth,” lamented Diniz. He pointed out that the team had not capitalized on scoring opportunities and had conceded a goal to Venezuela that should have been avoided. Despite these issues, Diniz acknowledged that the team had not played poorly, attributing some of the challenges to the heat and the condition of the pitch.

As Brazil looks ahead, they are scheduled to face Uruguay in another qualifying match in Montevideo on the upcoming Tuesday. It remains to be seen how this incident and the team’s performance will influence their future matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.