Several big names in Brazilian football, like Neymar, defender Thiago Silva, and midfielder Philippe Coutinho, joined a campaign this Tuesday against synthetic turf in Brazil's football fields.

Concerns over the use of artificial turf

"It's worrying the direction Brazilian football is taking. It's absurd that we have to talk about synthetic turf on our fields. Honestly, with the size and reputation of our football, this shouldn’t even be an option," the athletes posted on their social media, alongside a photo with the caption "Football is natural, not synthetic."

The players who joined the campaign shared the same post on their profiles, stating that Brazil should ensure the quality of the ground "where its players play and train" if it wants to "secure its position as a global football market leader."

Response from clubs and growing controversy

Currently, Botafogo, the reigning Copa Libertadores and Brazilian League champions, Palmeiras, and Athletico Paranaense, which was relegated to the second division last year, have synthetic turf on their fields.

Palmeiras quickly responded to the campaign, reminding everyone that their synthetic turf is "FIFA-certified" and undergoes "annual inspections" since its installation in 2020. "There is no scientific evidence proving that the injury risk on artificial fields is higher than on natural fields. On the contrary, a recent study published in The Lancet Discovery Science shows that the incidence of injuries is lower," the São Paulo club stated in a note.

However, Palmeiras admitted that it's "urgent" to discuss the quality of the country's playing fields, but not "with shallow criticism and no scientific basis." On the other hand, Atlético Mineiro, another of Brazil's most traditional clubs, announced in December that they would begin installing synthetic turf in their stadium, the Arena MRV.

Before the campaign launched, several players and coaches, like former Brazil coach Fernando Diniz and São Paulo coach, Argentine Luis Zubeldía, had already expressed their displeasure with the use of synthetic turf and warned about a potential higher risk of injuries.

After last Sunday's game against Palmeiras at Allianz Parque, Zubeldía admitted in a press conference that he left out two players, Lucas Moura and Oscar, because of the synthetic pitch. The Argentine coach said, "Players prefer natural grass" and concluded that, despite FIFA allowing it, "all teams are unhappy" with the replacement of natural grass with synthetic turf.