Tag: Santos

Neymar finally ended his 2026 goal drought in style on Thursday, scoring twice to inspire Santos to a 2-1 victory over Vasco da Gama in the fourth round of the Brasileirao at Urbano Caldeira Stadium.

The Brazil superstar, returning from surgery earlier this year, opened the scoring in the 25th minute and added a second in the second half, securing all three points for his side.

It was his first goal since December 2025 and only his second full 90-minute appearance of the year.

After the match, Neymar addressed critics and speculation about his potential inclusion in the Brazil squad for the upcoming Men’s World Cup.

“Last week, they said I was the worst player in the world. Today I scored two goals, and that’s what matters,” Neymar said.

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“One day you’re no good, or you’re ‘retired’; the next, people say you have to go to the World Cup. I’m dedicating myself and working to get in the best possible shape.”

The 2026 season has seen Neymar easing back into competitive action following surgery, and he admitted the challenge of regaining match fitness.

“This was my third game of the year and only my second full 90 minutes. I felt some cramping at the end, but that’s just part of the process,” he added.

The celebrations were briefly interrupted by a tense moment with Vasco midfielder Thiago Mendes, whose 2020 challenge at PSG had previously caused Neymar a serious injury.

“He always wants to cause trouble and act tough. He already broke me once at PSG, and he threatened me again today. It’s always the same with him,” Neymar remarked.

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Neymar on Tuesday extended his contract with Brazilian club Santos until the end of 2025, as he attempts to recapture his form in time for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

“I made a decision and I followed my heart. Santos is not just my team, it’s my home, my roots, my history, and my life,” the 33-year-old forward said in a statement from the club.

Neymar started his career at Santos before moving to Barcelona and then Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

After an injury-hit spell in Saudi Arabia, he returned to Santos in January on a contract that was due to expire on June 30.

The injury problems that restricted him to just seven matches in 17 months at Al-Hilal persisted.

He has played 12 matches in five months across all competitions for Santos, scoring three goals. In his last appearance in the domestic league, he was sent off for a second yellow card after scoring with his hand against Botafogo.

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After 12 matches in this season’s Brazilian championship, Santos are only clear of the relegation places on goal difference.

Since his return to Brazil, Neymar has drawn criticism for partying at the Rio Carnival and for appearing in the gimmicky seven-a-side Kings League while nursing injuries.

Neymar is the Brazil national team’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, two more than another Santos product, Pele, but his quest for a World Cup winner’s medal has repeatedly ended in disappointment.

Neymar was recalled to the Brazil squad in March for two World Cup qualifiers, but withdrew with a thigh injury.

In May, new coach Carlo Ancelotti left Neymar out of his first squad.

“I selected players who are in good shape. Neymar has just returned from injury, everyone knows he’s a very important player and we’re obviously counting on him,” said Ancelotti.

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Brazilian star Neymar signed a six-month contract with Santos, the club in his home country where he started his career, on Friday.

“The contract is for six months initially, but obviously we will do all we can that he remains with us,” Santos’s vice-president Fernando Bonavides told Canal SporTV.

“What we are hoping is that he remains with us until next year’s World Cup.”

The 32-year-old former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward returns to Santos after playing just seven times for Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal despite a reported salary of around $104 million a year.

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Neymar, Brazil’s all-time top scorer, joined Al Hilal in August 2023, following fellow superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to the Gulf.

But two months after his arrival in Riyadh, he ruptured a cruciate ligament in his left knee while playing for Brazil in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, which kept him on the sidelines for a year.

He then suffered a series of hamstring and knee injuries as he tried to return to action.

Neymar cut a contented figure as he was presented to fans in a ceremony at the club’s Estadio Urbano Caldeira, featuring concerts by several local music stars.

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