Neymar Jr.’s highly-anticipated return to Brazil has already wrapped the 32-year-old into controversy, with the former Paris Saint-Germain attacker leading the charge among Brazilian Série A players opposing the use of artificial turf for league matches, demanding natural grass instead.

Brazilian top flight club Palmeiras say there is no scientific basis for claims made by Neymar, Thiago Silva, and Memphis Depay, who were among the players that launched a campaign against synthetic grass pitches in Brazil.