Brazilian football star Neymar Junior was on the receiving end of heavy mockery from fans during Santos’ 2-2 draw with Sport Recife over the weekend.

The fans, eager to rattle the former Barcelona and PSG winger, came prepared with loudspeakers, face masks of Neymar’s ex-girlfriend Bruna Marquezine, and eye-catching banners—one of which bluntly read: “Will never have the Ballon d’Or.”

The stunt appeared to work, as Neymar struggled throughout the game and failed to make any goal contribution.

Now back with his boyhood club Santos after an injury-plagued stint at Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Neymar’s return hasn’t exactly been smooth. And this latest episode adds to the growing pressure on the 32-year-old as he tries to revive his career at home.

Many football fans and pundits once believed Neymar would one day win the Ballon d’Or, football’s highest individual honor. But with younger stars like Mbappé, Haaland, and Bellingham dominating headlines, critics are questioning whether Neymar’s window of opportunity has closed for good.