Controversial Neymar sees red for bizarre celebration

The player hit the headlines in South America once again this week after scoring a solo goal in Santos' 3-2 win over Chile's Colo Colo in the Copa Libertadores.

The 19-year-old, who has scored three goals in three games for the Brazilian national team, notched the third goal for Santos in the 52nd minute, but then pulled on one of the many masks of himself distributed at the Vila Belmiro by one of his sponsors and put it over his face.

It earned him a second yellow card, and he was dismissed. "Neymar was sent off for not knowing the rules... We need to know the rules," said interim Santos manager Marcelo Martelotte. Neymar's was one of five red cards handed out in the ill-tempered match.

The youngster had just scored a dazzling goal, jinking through the defence with exquisite close control including a backheel, a "sombrero" - a Pele-style lob over an opponent - before chipping past the goalkeeper to put Santos 3-0 up.

Earlier this week Neymar and his Santos team-mates displayed a banner with a message of appreciation for Scottish fans, trying to make peace after accusing them of racist taunts in Brazil's friendly with Scotland in London last month.

Santos players entered their match against Palmeiras on Sunday carrying a banner that said: "All against racism. Nothing against Scotland."

Neymar had complained he was racially taunted by Scotland fans when a banana was thrown near him in Brazil's 2-0 win. Officials dismissed the allegations of racist taunts, saying a German tourist in the Brazilian fan section threw the banana.

Police said they received no official reports of racism, and the Scottish Football Association requested an apology.

At the same match against Palmeiras, Neymar was booed by supporters of his team who accused him of being a football mercenary over a potential move to Europe.