Neymar Referenced in Ted Lasso Season 4 on Apple TV

Ted Lasso drops a surprise Neymar reference

Lasso invokes football legends in Richmond locker room

In the episode, character Ted Lasso—played by Jason Sudeikis—addresses the players of the fictional AFC Richmond team to discuss how athletes process their emotions. Before addressing Neymar directly, the coach invokes Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona, and Zinedine Zidane, currently managing France. Lasso remarks that crying is a natural part of football before offering a lighthearted jab at the Brazilian star, stating that “Neymar cries all the time,” drawing agreement from the team’s players.

Handling pressure and emotional vulnerability on screen

The scene unfolds as the club deals with an on-field injury to one of its key players, Gemma, which destabilizes the locker room. Lasso utilizes the examples of global icons to demonstrate to the athletes that showing emotion does not equate to weakness. While Neymar does not appear on screen in the series and received no compensation for the reference, his inclusion reflects an image built across his career of openly displaying emotion under intense competitive pressure.

Cultural footprint meets recovery at Santos

The depiction also underscores the cultural footprint Neymar has secured outside the sport. Despite “Ted Lasso” centering primarily on English football within an American production, the character mention aligns him with historic greats recognized universally by global audiences. At 34 years old, Neymar is currently recovering from a right thigh injury while playing for Santos, with no definitive timeline set for his return to the pitch as his name continues to circulate across popular culture.