Neymar’s Thrilling Return to Form
In a thrilling match on Wednesday, Neymar, the forward for Santos, netted his inaugural league goal for the season during a clash against the current top team, Flamengo. Following this pivotal moment, Neymar expressed his excitement, marking the occasion as “a new beginning” for his team.
Prioritizing Fitness
Having passed on the opportunity to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup with Fluminense, Neymar prioritized his personal fitness, and his decision paid off as he performed for the entire match. The only goal of the game came late, in the 84th minute, showcasing his return to form.
“I’m really happy to be able to contribute in every way, both in attack and defense,”
he remarked, further praising Flamengo as “the best team in the league” and emphasizing his team’s capability to face any opponent in the Brasileirão.
A Milestone Match
This match marked a significant milestone for Neymar, as it was the first time since February 23 that he played the entire 90 minutes, following a series of frustrating muscular injuries after his return to Santos earlier this year. These health setbacks occurred after he ended his contract with Al Hilal. He remarked,
“I want to play every game for 90 minutes,”
acknowledging that while he isn’t at full fitness yet, he feels an improvement each day.
“My body is still adapting, getting used to everything again. It’s not easy to deal with the injury I had.”
Challenges and Future Prospects
Neymar had a challenging spell in Saudi Arabia, grappling with an ACL injury sustained during international duty with Brazil in October 2023, which has kept him away from the national team since. In terms of his future with Santos, Neymar recently secured a contract extension that extends through the end of this year, with a potential option to continue playing until the 2026 World Cup.
