Adil Nagporwala

The Context Behind Neymar’s Kobe Bryant Mamba Mentality IG post

Neymar

Neymar‘s second spell at his boyhood club Santos has been very different from what he and the Santos fans would have expected. His stats have been far off from what everyone would have expected. He has been marred by injuries as well, which have affected his overall performance on the pitch, resulting in only 3 goals and 0 assists so far in the Brazilian Serie A 2025.

Once a crowd favourite, Neymar is slowly losing that aura about him, and the fans believe the Brazilian’s performances are not helping Santos, and in fact, the club play better without him. His overall demeanour on the field is under constant scrutiny as well. As a result, he has lost his regular place in the Brazilian National team as well.

In the league match against Flamengo on Monday, the Brazilian had yet another below-par performance on the pitch with no significant contributions. There came a moment in the match when the Brazilian was so frustrated by his own defenders constantly playing long balls that he ran all the way back to his defensive third to pass it short, only for one of his teammates to play it long again. This move made headlines instantly across the media.

Neymar was substituted off in the 85th minute, complaining and whining about his substitution to the coach, being booed and jeered with insults by the fans, after which Santos scored 2 goals but eventually lost 3-2. Neymar had an off day against Flamengo in every sense of the term.

Neto, the former Brazilian player, heavily criticised Neymar for his performance against Flamengo on his TV Show Os Donos da Bola (The Owners of the Ball) and on his radio show.

“Santos fans think Neymar will bring glory back, but they’re going to be relegated because of him and the president. It’s Neymar’s fault and that of his followers. Look how different the team is without him.” “You’re a disgrace, Neymar! You didn’t play at all, damn it. You just walked around the field. You went to the Formula 1, met the drivers, then started the game and did nothing. It’s shameful to play football like that.” “Santos scored two goals after you left. If they had played the whole game like they did in the second half, they might have won or at least drawn. You’re not helping this team.”

After the game, Neymar shared a cryptic post of Kobe Bryant’s ‘Mamba mentality’ on his Instagram. he intentionally posted this photo of Bryant, metaphorically implying the intense focus on whatever you do and having a calm mind in every situation. This iconic photo of Kobe Bryant is from March 2010, a moment at the beginning of the third quarter of the game between the Lakers and the Orlando Magic. Matt Barnes, a forward for the Florida team, tried to scare him by pretending to throw the ball at his face. However, Kobe didn’t even flinch at his opponent’s prank.

This moment is often remembered when the “Mamba Mentality,” a character created around the athlete’s winning mentality is referred to.

Image Source: neymarjr/Instagram

The ‘Mamba Mentality’ became a famous quote as the NBA legend Kobe Bryant called himself ‘The Black Mamba’. The quote is all about focusing on the process and trusting in the hard work when it matters the most, and trying to get better every day at what you are doing and constantly trying to be the best version of yourself.  

Neymar quoted Bryant because of the struggles the NBA Legend himself had to face during his career. The Brazilian drew parallels with his own career, which is certainly going through a rough period right now.                

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